The Texas Longhorns have lost another member of their secondary. On Thursday, veteran safety Derek Williams Jr. announced that he was entering the transfer portal. After three seasons in Austin, the Louisiana native will take his talents to a new program, where he hopes to get more playing time.
When Williams arrived on campus, he was part of a 2023 recruiting class ranked among the best in the nation. That included Arch Manning, who just finished up his first regular season as the Longhorns’ starting QB. While Williams’ time with Texas is not ending as he expected, he made the most of his playing time.
During his time as a Longhorn, the veteran safety recorded 75 tackles, two pass deflections, one interception, and one forced fumble. In limited snaps, Williams proved he could compete in the SEC and hold his own on a team fighting for a national title.
Over the last few days, the Longhorns’ roster has undergone a lot of change. They also lost CJ Baxter, Santana Wilson, Will Stone, Jerrick Gibson, Wardell Mack, Connor Stroh, Aaron Butler, Trey Owens, and Melvin Hills III to the portal. While that will not be an easy group to replace, the Longhorns have a talented 2026 class less than a year away from arriving on campus.
For teams in need of secondary help, Williams should draw plenty of interest. He was in line to start next year and can step into a key role for any program. His departure will also put more pressure on Jonah Williams to be a difference maker for Steve Sarkisian next year.
Regardless of where Williams ends up, he is a player many in Austin will be keeping an eye on.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Football loses safety Derek Williams Jr. to transfer portal
Reporting by Jamie Gatlin, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
