Here are the four players in the portal that Texas needs to land starting with defensive lineman Walter Nolen.
Walter Nolen, DL, Texas A&M
We already know that Texas is taking a “swing” at Nolen, but with beloved big man T’Vondre Sweat presumably off to the NFL, this defensive line will need some bolstering. Nolen is a proven commodity and currently ranks as the top player in the portal, holding the lone five-star transfer ranking. In 12 games this season, Nolen totaled 37 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks and helped anchor a stout run defense. Texas has thrived this season in stopping the run, and with the move to the SEC coming, having another freight train on the line to slow down the run would be huge.
Andrew Mukuba, S, Clemson
While Texas is losing corner Ryan Watts after this season, they also happen to be expected to lose safeties Jerrin Thompson, Kitan Crawford, and Jalen Catalon who entered his name into the transfer portal. They have rising stars at corner but could use some help at safety. The perfect plug-and-play solution is Clemson’s Andrew Mukuba. On top of being an Austin native, he racked up 149 tackles, one sack, 20 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and an interception in 35 games (31 starts) at Clemson. He is viewed as having first-round potential in the NFL Draft and would be a great pairing with rising star Derrick Williams.
Juice Wells, WR, South Carolina
Texas could honestly target a couple of transfer pass catchers as Purdue’s Deion Burks stands out as well, but Juice Wells stands out as the perfect option for Texas. He would be the ideal one-year rental as 2024 will be his fifth season, and he has showcased the ability to make huge plays after the catch. For Texas, they will likely be losing their three top pass catchers Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Jordan Whittington, and while they do have young stars like Johntay Cook II and incoming five-star freshman Ryan Wigo, the experience would only help this group grow.
Trey Moore, LB, UTSA
Texas may already have promising pass rushers in Ethan Burke and Anthony Hill, but it never hurts to have as many as possible. Especially someone like Trey Moore who built off his eight-sack season last year, and answered with 14 sacks this year. With all of the talented quarterbacks in college football, having someone who can not only pressure them but bring them down consistently is a luxury. He and Hill flying all over the place would be a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Leave a Reply