Thaddeus Dixon, CB (Washington)
It is a possibility that the Longhorns look in the transfer portal this upcoming offseason for help at defensive back. Texas needs to replace some important secondary starters for the 2025 season in the SEC, including the Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron and senior All-SEC safety Andrew Mukuba.
There is also a chance that the Longhorns lose draft-eligible players in the secondary, like junior nickel Jaylon Guilbeau and redshirt junior safety Michael Taaffe, to the NFL next spring for 2025.
Last offseason, the Longhorns added Mukuba from the transfer portal to add proven depth at the safety position from the Clemson Tigers and head coach Dabo Swinney.
A similar move for this upcoming offseason could see the Longhorns pursue an immediate-impact transfer cornerback from the portal. One option the Longhorns could look at to fill depth and add a potential immediate starter to the secondary at the corner position would be hypothetically targeting former Washington Huskies senior cornerback and grad transfer Thaddeus Dixon.
The All-Big Ten Honorable Mention at cornerback for the Huskies in 2024, Dixon led the team in pass breakups and forced incompletions.
Dixon has the type of size and proven starting experience that the Longhorns would be looking for from an immediate impact grad transfer in the portal for the secondary next season. The 6-foot-1 and 185-pound corner was Washington's highest-graded DB in man coverage against P4 opponents this season (per PFF).
Starting all 12 games he played for the Huskies this season, Dixon registered a career-high 43 combined tackles, 12 defensive stops, two tackles for loss, one interception, 11 pass breakups, and one fumble recovery.
Texas also has some familiarity with Dixon, since the starting corner faced the Longhorns in the College Football Playoff semifinals game at the Sugar Bowl last season with Washington.
Another cornerback transfer in the portal to potentially watch for Texas to pursue for this upcoming offseason is former Arizona Wildcats junior transfer cornerback Tacario Davis. Texas showed interest in Davis when he entered the portal last offseason, given his connection with former Arizona defensive coordinator now at Texas, Johnny Nansen.