When former TCU Horned Frogs star Damonic Williams committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday, the Texas Longhorns were unable to sign another defensive tackle through the NCAA transfer portal.
Williams visited Austin after signing up for the portal soon after the spring transfer window began, having previously traveled to Oklahoma, Missouri, and LSU. Orangebloods stories surfaced in the last few days suggesting that Williams was looking to maximize his NIL earnings at a cost the Longhorns were not likely to match. Williams’ team refuted a story that Texas was the “clear leader” after Williams’ formal visit to the Forty Acres last week, and the Horns’ recruiting never appeared to trend favorably after that.
Williams is ranked as the No. 103 player and the No. 10 defensive lineman in the portal, according to 247Sports.
A consensus three-star prospect out of Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany in the 2022 recruiting class, Williams was ranked as the No. 541 player nationally and the No. 77 defensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Williams signed with TCU over 16 other offers, including Michigan, Penn State, USC, and Washington, taking an official visit to Cal and committing to Cal before flipping to the Horned Frogs on Early Signing Day in 2021.
Williams made an immediate impact upon arriving in Fort Worth, starting 15 games and recording 27 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks as a freshman before notching 33 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks in 2023, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition.
