Two Longhorn players ready to enter the NCAA transfer portal

16/04/2024 Raymond NCAA Football 0

According to numerous reports on Monday, Texas Longhorns redshirt freshman offensive lineman Payton Kirkland plans to use the NCAA transfer portal when it opens on Thursday.

After one season, the 6’6, 366-pound player will leave the Forty Acres due to an injury that restricted him this spring.

Kirkland, a consensus three-star prospect out of Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips, was ranked No. 558 overall and No. 47 among interior offensive linemen in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2023 recruiting class. Kirkland never visited Austin, even though he had received over 50 offers from throughout the nation and had made formal trips to Florida, Miami, Michigan State, and Oklahoma. He traveled to Austin for the first time a few months before to deciding to commit to Texas in July 2022.

That December, Kirkland signed an early signing contract with Texas.
Kirkland fought for playing time at left guard after moving to the Forty Acres last spring, beginning the campaign as Hayden Conner’s backup behind Neto Umeozulu. Following an injury that he sustained during spring practice, Kirkland did not play in any games in 2023.

 

Texas edge Billy Walton to enter the NCAA transfer portal

Billy Walton, a redshirt freshman edge for the Texas Longhorns, told On3 on Monday that he will use the NCAA transfer portal as soon as the spring window opens.
The South Oak Cliff product’s road to playing time became more challenging due to offseason signings.
After visiting Stillwater in April, Walton chose to commit to Oklahoma State a few days after receiving his initial offer from Texas back in January 2022. But the Longhorns persisted in their recruitment of Walton, getting the only other official visit outside of the Cowboys, and did enough to persuade the generally regarded as a three-star prospect to stay in his home state following Walton’s decommitment from Oklahoma State a few days prior to his late June enrollment in the Texas class.

After visiting Stillwater in April, Walton chose to commit to Oklahoma State a few days after receiving his initial offer from Texas back in January 2022. But the Longhorns persisted in their recruitment of Walton, getting the only other official visit outside of the Cowboys, and did enough to persuade the generally regarded as a three-star prospect to stay in his home state following Walton’s decommitment from Oklahoma State a few days prior to his late June enrollment in the Texas class.

Walton was a star for the 5A-DII state winners as a junior. He led South Oak Cliff with 12 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 55 tackles. His performance helped him receive over 20 offers, from schools including Nebraska, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

Freshman linebacker S’Maje Burrell — also plan to enter the portal with the end of spring practice looming next Saturday with the annual Orange-White game.