Texas Longhorns Hit with More Transfer Portal Turmoil
So, here’s what’s unfolding right now around the Texas Longhorns, and it’s adding another twist to an already emotional end to their season. After missing out on the College Football Playoff despite a strong late push, more tough news has been rolling in — and this time, it involves yet another player heading for the transfer portal.
The latest departure comes from defensive tackle Melvin Hills III, a redshirt freshman who officially announced that he’ll be entering the NCAA transfer portal in the upcoming January window. His decision lines up with two other Longhorns already declaring similar intentions: redshirt freshman quarterback Trey Owens and redshirt sophomore running back CJ Baxter. So, it’s been a wave of movement coming all at once, right as head coach Steve Sarkisian sits down for exit interviews and reviews the season with his roster.
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Hills arrived in Austin as part of the 2024 recruiting class, coming out of Lafayette Christian Academy in Louisiana. He had been one of only two defensive tackle signees that year, after position coach Bo Davis missed out on several top priorities before leaving for LSU. As a consensus three-star prospect, Hills came in ranked toward the bottom of the Longhorns’ class — somewhere around No. 685 nationally — but the staff still viewed him as a developmental piece with size and upside.
After redshirting his first year, Hills wasn’t able to climb far up the depth chart in 2025. He appeared in just four games — matchups against San Jose State, UTEP, Sam Houston, and Arkansas — logging a total of 28 snaps and recording a single tackle. With limited action and a crowded defensive line room ahead of him, entering the portal seems like a move aimed at finding more opportunities elsewhere.
And this comes on the heels of another blow: running back CJ Baxter also hopping into the portal. Baxter, who once earned Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors, didn’t see much involvement this season and is now looking for a fresh start too. For Texas, losing a potential offensive contributor and a developing defensive lineman back-to-back creates another layer of uncertainty heading into bowl prep.
All of this is happening while the Longhorns prepare for their Citrus Bowl matchup against Michigan — a game that isn’t where they hoped to be playing, but still a chance to finish the season with momentum. Arch Manning is expected to return for 2026, though he technically has the option to declare for the NFL Draft. And with roster shifts happening quickly, these next few weeks could be crucial in shaping what Texas looks like moving forward.
For now, the transfer portal continues to reshape the landscape, and Texas is right in the middle of the turbulence.
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