Texas Longhorns reportedly showing interest in defender that recently entered the NCAA transfer portal
The Texas Longhorns are reportedly showing interest in a Penn State Nittany Lions defensive lineman that recently entered the NCAA transfer portal. Earlier this week, On3's Pete Nakos reported that Penn State defensive lineman Smith Vilbert is entering the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Vilbert, who will be a seventh year senior in […]
The Texas Longhorns are reportedly showing interest in a Penn State Nittany Lions defensive lineman that recently entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Earlier this week, On3's Pete Nakos reported that Penn State defensive lineman Smith Vilbert is entering the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate transfer.
Vilbert, who will be a seventh year senior in 2025, spent the first six seasons of his career at Penn State.
The New York native missed the entire 2023 season due to injury.
According to 247Sports, Texas is one of the programs showing interest in Vilbert, along with Texas Tech, Kansas, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, North Carolina, NC State, Rutgers, Temple, and California
"He was good in the playoffs and I think that is why the interest is there," said a source to 247Sports.
Vilbert, who has totaled 20 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks during his career at Penn State, played in all 16 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024.
College football programs can never have too many defensive linemen, so it's certainly easy to understand why Texas is reportedly showing interest in the former three-star recruit. Defensive line depth can erode quickly. Plus, programs like Texas that hope to play deep into the postseason need to keep defensive linemen as fresh as possible throughout the regular season. It definitely wouldn't hurt to add Vilbert to the roster.
It looks like the Longhorns, however, will have plenty of competition for Vilbert based on the amount of programs that are reportedly already showing interest. But after experiencing the College Football Playoff with the Nittany Lions last season, Vilbert might view Texas as his best option to get back to college football's postseason.
