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Texas one of several schools after Florida A&M transfer Isaiah Land

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook05/04/22josephcook89
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(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

After a standout 2021 season for the Florida A&M Rattlers of the Southwest Athletic Conference, 2021 Buck Buchanan Award winner Isaiah Land entered the NCAA transfer portal in order to showcase his EDGE rushing talents on a grander stage. The FCS defensive player of the year has heard and received offers from a multitude of schools, the Texas Longhorns included.

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Land took to the Stories feature on his Instagram account to note which schools had showed interest since appearing in the NCAA’s transfer database. Joining the Longhorns were Central Florida, Auburn, LSU, Memphis, Georgia, and Kentucky.

Land, originally from Buffalo, N.Y., attended Peach State powerhouse Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga. He was the FCS defensive player of the year last season in addition to being named an AP first-team All-American linebacker. He accumulated 43 total tackles, including 25.5 for loss with 19 sacks. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one.

Checking in at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Land had three tackles including 1.5 for loss and one sack against South Florida on September 18, the only FBS school on the Rattlers’ schedule.

Ian Boyd on Land’s potential role at Texas

The Texas staff is clearly interested in Isaiah Land. The Florida A&M defensive end who recently entered the transfer portal was named FCS Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 after producing an unreal 25.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks.

Here’s the catch. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Land is not really built for life in the trenches at the FBS level. His high production at FAMU was largely a reflection of him possessing legit length and speed to fly around the corner against FCS tackles and thus overwhelming weaker competition. As his relatively low number of non-sack tackles for loss (6.5) illustrates, he’s not a great run defender and will be less of one if asked to take on bigger tight ends, tackles, and pulling blockers on the edge in the Big 12.

His best fit would be as a package player, rushing the passer on obvious passing downs, not as a 3-down player in the base defense.

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