Stealing players from other SEC teams to add to the Texas roster

The transfer portal may be crazy, but it’s not crazy enough to where the Texas Longhorns could straight up steal players off of opposing Southeastern Conference rosters in August to add to their 2025 roster.

[Sign up for Inside Texas TODAY and get the BEST Longhorns coverage!]

But what if they could? And what if Steve Sarkisian‘s entire roster was protected?

This is a fun exercise every year as it identifies players on other SEC teams that would be beneficial to Texas’ national title pursuits while also keeping things status quo in Austin. And while it might be fun to add DJ Lagway to the Longhorns’ roster in order to strike a debilitating blow to the Florida Gators, there’s no need to do such a thing considering Arch Manning is in Austin. Similar applies to Dylan Stewart for South Carolina.

We have Dylan Stewart at home. His name is Colin Simmons.

So on and so forth.

Which players would look great in burnt orange, especially ahead of the 2025 season? Which picks in this pseudo-expansion draft would make life even more difficult for opponents?

I can’t add all these players at once. Each one is in a vacuum. If I had one-off picks to add players to Texas from SEC schools, here’s who I’d pick.

Alabama – Kadyn Proctor, OL

Though Proctor wasn’t perfect during his second year at Alabama, he still has special movement skills at his size. With Andre Cojoe out for the season, a tackle like Proctor at Kyle Flood‘s disposal would help what’s now become a major question become far less concerning.

Arkansas – O’Mega Blake, WR

Blake is a fifth-year player with SEC experience, spending his first three seasons at South Carolina before transferring to Charlotte. With the 49ers, he logged 32 catches for 795 yards and nine scores with a remarkable average depth of target of 19.4 yards. He was an explosive play machine, logging catches of 25 or more yards in six games and posting a three-touchdown, 205-yard game against FAU on only five receptions. Twenty-five of his 32 receptions resulted in first downs.

Auburn – Cam Coleman, WR

Blake may be good, but Coleman is in the elite tier when it comes to college wideouts. In 11 games last year, Coleman logged 37 catches for 598 yards and eight scores. He had 100 yard games versus ULM and Texas A&M, and also logged 75 or more yards against Oklahoma and Alabama. Pairing Coleman with Ryan Wingo would give Texas two of the top sophomore receivers in the nation.

Florida – Jake Slaughter, OC

This is no slight to Cole Hutson, but rather a nod to Slaughter’s quality. Slaughter may be the best center in the nation. In 800 snaps last year he allowed only nine pressure and committed three penalties. His play was a critical part of Florida’s late season run with wins over LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State. The fact that he returned is a testament to the efforts put behind Billy Napier for the 2025 season.

Georgia – KJ Bolden, S

A freshman All-American last year, Bolden was targeted in the pass game 30 times according to PFF and allowed just 121 total yards and one touchdown. He was also formidable in the run game, logging 20 “stops” and making life difficult for opposing offenses.

Kentucky – Seth McGowan, RB

That Seth McGowan? The one Lincoln Riley kicked off the Oklahoma football team? The convicted felon? Yes. In an article published a couple of days ago in the Lexington Herald-Leader, McGowan gives all the indications of a person who knows he messed up, paid his debt to society, made it through additional barriers he knew would be there as a result of his choices, and is making the most of a newfound opportunity with sincere gratitude. He rushed for 823 yards last year at New Mexico State after toiling in the NAIA and junior college ranks and was given a new opportunity at Kentucky in what was a decent running backs room. The story linked above is worth the read.

LSU – Caden Durham, RB

Durham may be one of the best backs in the nation this year. Last season, he totaled 1013 yards from scrimmage with eight touchdowns. The 5-foot-9 speedster had 100 yard games against South Alabama and Arkansas and went over 80 yards against South Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma. Speed is something that Texas lost at running back when Jaydon Blue went to the Cowboys. Durham would bring it back.

Ole Miss – Suntarine Perkins, LB

How does two elite linebackers in one defense sound? Perkins had 60 tackles with 14 TFL and 10.5 sacks last year along with an interception. He’s a bit more of an EDGE than a LB but he’s a player that can be deployed all over the defensive front, kind of like Anthony Hill. His coverage skills may not have been tested much, but they weren’t lacking last season.

Mississippi State – Fluff Bothwell, RB

Fluff Bothwell. Fluff Bothwell. Fluff Bothwell.

Major Applewhite handed the ball off to Bothwell 111 times last year, not literally but as his head coach. Bothwell rushed for 832 yards and 13 scores and had four 100-yard games. He heads to Mississippi State, where there is no shying from running the football with Jeff Lebby.

Missouri – Cayden Green, OL

Green is an interior lineman now, but he was a high quality left guard for the Tigers last season. That came after Green transferred from Oklahoma to Missouri in a manner that left those in Norman a bit upset. What if he ended up in burnt orange?

Oklahoma – Eli Bowen, DB

Bowen was a key cog in Oklahoma’s better side of the ball last season as a true freshman. He notched a PFF defensive grade of 81.9 and a strong run defense grade of 89.4 as a cornerback. His brother Peyton is no slouch either, playing safety for the Sooners, but Eli has arguably outperformed his older brother in just one season.

South Carolina – Nyck Harbor, WR

Harbor was more sprinter than receiver last year, logging just 26 receptions for 376 yards and three scores. But remember that Arch Throws Bombs. Imagine Harbor sprinting past opposing defenders and catching a 65-yard heave from Manning before waltzing into the end zone. He’s gotten incrementally better over his two seasons in Columbia.

Tennessee – Jermod McCoy, DB

An East Texas native who the Longhorns kicked the tires on very briefly after the 2023 season, McCoy showed why he’s one of the best in the nation last year by earning second-team All-America honors. He is described as “working his way back from a knee injury he sustained while training in January 2025,” but McCoy would instantly be one of the best defenders on the Longhorn roster if he were to trade shades of orange and make a Texas homecoming.

Texas A&M – Le’Veon Moss, RB

The Texas vs. Texas A&M game looks a bit different if Moss is healthy. Before going down with a season-ending injury early in November, Moss had rushed 121 times for 765 yards and 10 scores in eight games plus three touches against South Carolina. The Aggie offense looked much, much different without him, and he showed traits needed from “workhorse” backs. A top trio of Moss, CJ Baxter, and Tre Wisner would terrorize defenses.

[Want to be the most informed Texas Longhorns football fan? Order the 2025 edition of Thinking Texas Football today!]

Vanderbilt – Eli Stowers, TE

There’s really not a clear fit for a player like Diego Pavia in Sarkisian’s offense, so let’s take his top target. After starting his career as a Jimbo Fisher quarterback, Stowers changed positions at New Mexico State and went with the Pavia contingent to Nashville. As a Commodore, he had 49 catches for 638 yards and five touchdowns and even passed for a score. A versatile offensive weapon, Stowers could be a great example for a player like Michael Terry.