Longhorns Country

Freshman All-American Transfer Commits to Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns have added a massive transfer in more ways than one.
Matt Galatzan|
Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during their first practice of the spring season on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during their first practice of the spring season on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Texas Longhorns have added another piece to their impressive transfer portal haul.

According to mulitple reports, former Syracuse freshman All-American Maraad Watson has committed to the program after spending one year with the Orange.

He will have three years of eligibility remaining. Watson is also coming off of a visit to the Horns and picked Texas over Ohio State.

Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Alfred Collins (95) and defensive lineman Vernon Broughton (45) celebrate after a sack
Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Alfred Collins (95) and defensive lineman Vernon Broughton (45) celebrate after a sack during the third quarter of the College Football Playoff | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

An Irvington, N.J. native, Watson finished his freshman year this past season with 30 total tackles (15 solo), one sack and one pass breakup. In Syracuse's upset win over No. 6 Miami, he had a career-high six total tackles. He was later named a freshman All-American as a result.

Watson is the No. 4 overall player currently available in the portal. He's listed as a four-star transfer.

A three-star recruit in the 2024 class out of Irvington High School in New Jersey, Watson originally committed to Kent State before flipping to Syracuse in December 2023. He had received offers from programs like Tennessee, Nebraska, Akron, Rutgers and many more. Watson tallied 72 total tackles and 15 sacks in just seven games during his senior year of high school.

Watson, now joins a transfer class that features tight end Jack Endries (Cal), kicker Mason Shipley (Texas State), defensive linemen Cole Brevard (Purdue), Travis Shaw (North Carolina), Lavon Johnson (Maryland) and Hero Kanu (Ohio State) along with linebacker Brad Spence (Arkansas), wide receiver Emmett Mosley V (Stanford) and punter Jack Bouwmeester (Utah).

He will also be a major part of a completely rebuilt defensive interior alongside Brevard, Shaw, Johnson and Kanu.

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writers’ Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014, covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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