The newly singular transfer window for this year opens Jan. 2 and closes two weeks later on Jan. 16. With Texas football’s season ending with a victory over Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus bowl, at least 18 athletes have announced their intentions to enter the portal. At the time of publication, 10 offensive players, seven defensive players and one special teams member have announced their intentions to shed their burnt orange in search of a new team in a transfer period slated to be one of the largest since its invention.
The Texan has compiled a list of the players leaving Texas, starting with those on defense and special teams:
Caleb Chester — Corner
Chester is a first-year corner and former three-star prospect, announcing his intent to transfer the afternoon of the first day of the window opening. Chester played in just one game with Texas, against Sam Houston, but is quick and twitchy with the potential to grow his frame and make a solid impact downfield with four years of eligibility remaining.
Lavon Johnson — Defensive Tackle
Johnson announced his departure a day after the final bowl game, during which he played defensive tackle under senior Hero Kanu. Johnson hasn’t gotten significant playing time throughout the season with several veterans on the defensive line, mostly serving as a second-string backup. With Texas hiring new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, it’s likely the Longhorns are beginning to emphasize size within the defensive line — and at 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, Johnson would probably fit more comfortably in a program that prioritizes speed and reaction time rather than height.
As a prospect, Johnson came to Texas from Pennsylvania as a three-star recruit. Now a junior, he has one year of eligibility remaining after his transfer to Texas from Maryland.
Derek Williams Jr. — Safety
Williams opted out of the bowl game the week before Dec. 31. A former four-star recruit and a three-star transfer prospect, he’s ranked as the No. 214 overall pick and the No. 15 safety in a portal with thousands of players. As a redshirt sophomore, he will have two years of eligibility left.
Williams would have fit nicely with Muschamp’s defensive style — good size, quick speed and reaction time and a violent edge. Wherever he goes, he will have the potential to establish a presence downfield or move closer to the line of scrimmage, with a high chance to successfully adapt as a linebacker if he puts on some more weight to go with his 6-foot-2 frame.
Santana Wilson — Corner
Wilson, a three-star prospect from Arizona, is now a three-star in the transfer portal who got buried within the Texas secondary’s depth chart. He wasn’t able to showcase much on the field, but as a true freshman, he will have several years of eligibility left to get some experience. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, he’s a small corner with great acceleration and a knack for disrupting offensive plays. With his explosiveness and situational awareness, he also has the potential to carry on the other side of the ball and make a case for a professional career down the road.
Liona Lefau — Linebacker
Lefau consistently started on Texas’ defensive line this season as one of the more notable veterans on the team. As a four-star junior, he has a year of eligibility left for whoever takes advantage of his transfer. He’s ranked No. 62 overall and No. 3 at the linebacker position.
At 6-foot-1, Lefau likely didn’t meet Muschamp’s ideal size for the revamped style of play the defensive line will be taking next season. Even so, his instincts and speed made a significant impact during his time on the field with Texas, with 69 tackles and a sack this season.
Melvin Hills III — Defensive Lineman
Hills announced his intent to transfer the earliest out of any defensive player and is a three-star prospect out of the portal. As a freshman, Hills has several years of eligibility left to get experience on the field despite rarely seeing it with the Longhorns, and at 6-foot-3, 302 pounds, he’s the ideal size for a lineman that can move with both speed and power.
Will Stone — Kicker
Stone is one of two Texas players who declared their plans to enter the portal in the middle of the season. A two-star recruit, Stone currently has no ranking as a portal prospect, and as a fourth-year kicker, he is running out of time to stay on the football field. He played mostly as a kickoff specialist for the Longhorns, accumulating 131 touchbacks from 2022 to 2024.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story inaccurately stated the number of offensive players entering the portal. The story has been updated to reflect the accurate information here. The Texan regrets this error.
