Texas Football: Predicting UT's first portal departure of the offseason

Austin Jordan, DB

Texas's secondary has already faced a lot of attrition since the December portal window opened almost exactly one month ago. The Longhorns have lost four defensive backs to the portal during the December window, including three safeties and one cornerback.

But none of the defensive backs the Longhorns lost to the portal during the December window had started a single game, outside of Catalon at safety.

It sounds like more roster attrition could be on the way soon for the Longhorns regarding departures to the transfer portal among the defensive backs. TFB Texas reported on Jan. 3 (donor content) that defensive back could be a group to watch to experience more attrition to the portal early this offseason.

One position that could experience some roster attrition via the transfer portal is at star. Texas is expected to lose senior defensive back Jahdae Barron to the NFL Draft this spring. But Texas is replacing him with the former Clemson Tigers junior safety transfer Andrew Mukuba.

That leaves sophomore Jaylon Guilbeau and sophomore Austin Jordan potentially on the outside looking in on the two-deep at the star position in 2024. Guilbeau has held down the backup spot at the star position for most of the last two seasons.

Jordan has cross-trained at corner at the star position in the last couple of years. But his main role has come on special teams, as a gunner for the coverage units.

Jordan could still have a prominent role on this team for a couple more seasons on the special teams unit. But he has an uphill battle ahead to lock down a spot on the two-deep at nickel or corner heading into camp this offseason.

Much of this roster attrition is necessary to usher in this heralded 2024 DB class. Texas signed the highest-rated defensive back class in the nation in the 2024 cycle in the 247Sports Composite, which includes five blue-chip commitments.