The Texas Longhorns welcomed 10 transfers after the 2023 season, a group that earned a No. 5 ranking from On3 among transfer portal classes. But from that group of 10 that are now on the 40 Acres ahead of the 2024 season, only ONE made Jesse Simonton’s Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team.
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UTSA EDGE Trey Moore earned On3 Preseason All-Transfer Portal honors. Here’s what Simonton had to say about the Smithson Valley product.
The Longhorns landed one of the premier pass rushers in the country this offseason, plucking Moore away from in-state UTSA after he ranked No. 3 nationally with 14.0 sacks. The junior added 17.5 TFLs and another double-digit hurries season and will team up with Ethan Burke and 5-star freshman Colin Simmons to spearhead Texas’ pressure off the edge.
Moore joins an EDGE room with Barryn Sorrell, Ethan Burke, Colin Simmons, Justice Finkley, Colton Vasek, and Zina Umeozulu all contending for snaps, but Moore is set to see plenty of action this year. After UTSA made the step up from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference, Moore continued his tear as one of the best defenders in the Group of Five and earned AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
He stands as a worthy addition to the Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team, but just one Longhorn making it?
Isaiah Bond was snubbed.
Steve Sarkisian‘s program’s most high-profile addition in the transfer portal was Bond, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound Alabama wide receiver transfer. Bond hauled in 48 passes for 668 yards and four touchdowns in 2023 as part of a SEC champion Crimson Tide team that reached the College Football Playoff.
Who was picked over Bond?
Deion Burks, Purdue > Oklahoma: 47 catches for 629 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023
CJ Daniels, Liberty > LSU: 55 catches for 1067 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023
Evan Stewart, Texas A&M > Oregon: 38 catches for 514 yards and four touchdowns in 2023
Bond has a good argument against all these players. Stewart is as talented as they come but health was a problem in 2023. Daniels was part of the most talented team in the CUSA with a strong quarterback to help raise his stats. Burks’ numbers are comparable to Bond’s.
A snub? Sure, but it’s not a massive one. Bond may find himself on the far more prestigious Preseason All-SEC team in a couple of weeks when those squads are released.
And as far as the other Longhorns, there’s not much to quibble with. Walter Nolen and Aeneas Peebles played good football in 2023 and a few other defensive tackles may have better cases than the ones that joined the Longhorns.
Jay’Vion Cole is underrated, and Jabbar Muhammadand AJ Harris stand as quality choices that mix production and potential at corner.
Andrew Mukuba‘s addition continues to fly under the radar nationally, at least more so than expected and in comparison to star safeties Kamari Ramsey and Caleb Downs.
Amari Niblack was not as productive as On3’s choice of tight end Jack Velling.
If Bond was snubbed, then Matthew Golden and Silas Bolden were going to join him in that category.
Most of Simonton’s choices make plenty of sense. Five selections — Burks, Trevor Etienne, Nic Scourton, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and Jaishawn Barham — are on Texas’ schedule.
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One more Longhorn in addition to Moore had a great argument to be among those selections. The coming season will prove if Simonton’s choices at wide receiver were right or if they were off.
The post Just one Longhorn makes On3’s Preseason All-Transfer Portal Team, with Isaiah Bond as the biggest snub appeared first on On3.