Texas Longhorns EDGE J'Mond Tapp Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

AUSTIN - The Texas Longhorns roster is starting to take shape.

Entering the week, the Longhorns needed to reduce their scholarship total from 88 players down to 85. And over the last couple of days, that plan has begun to take shape, with three Longhorns - offensive lineman Payton Kirkland, linebacker S'Maje Burrell, and edge rusher Billy Walton III all entering the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Now, a fourth player has entered the portal, with third-year edge rusher J'Mond Tapp becoming the latest player to leave the program.

Baylor quarterback RJ Martinez (15) tries to pass the ball over Texas defensive end J'Mond Tapp (17) | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

While Tapp was a talented prospect in Austin that was seeminly making progress toward becoming a rotational piece, his path to the top of the depth chart has become increasingly difficult over the last few months.

Outside of the additions of transfer Trey Moore and five-star freshman Collin Simmons, players such as Ethan Burke, Barryn Sorrell, and Justice Finkley already made for a crowded depth chart.

Then when considering the emergence throughout the spring of a healthy Colton Vasek, and other young talents like Zina Umeozulu and Tausili Akana, it would have been difficult for Tapp to find a way to get consistent snaps.

Now, after appearing in just two games in his freshman season, he will have three years of eligibility remaining at his next destination.

Tapp originally came to the Longhorns as a member of the 2022 class, where he was a consensus four-star recruit, ranking as the No. 130 player nationally, No. 15 edge, and No. 11 player in the state of Lousiana, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Rivals.com was the highest on Tapp's potential as a prospect, ranking him as the No. 79 player in the nation, No. 4 edge, and No. 7 player in Louisiana.

Tapp appeared in nine total games for the Horns, including seven in 2023. He had nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in his career in Austin.