Texas Longhorns Transfer Kendrick Blackshire Finds New Home

After a very brief stint in Austin, former Texas Longhorns linebacker Kendrick Blackshire entered the transfer portal earlier this offseason.

Oct 2, 2021; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama linebacker Kendrick Blackshire (40) celebrates after making a big hit on an Ole Miss kick returner at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Blackshire was called for targeting. Alabama defeated Ole Miss 42-21. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports | Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports

AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns have put together a talented transfer class this offseason, but one of the additions was hardly here to see it through.

Alabama transfer linebacker Kendrick Blackshire arrived to Austin in December ahead of spring ball, but re-entered the portal after the spring game. Now, he's found a new home, and he's only making a short trip south down I-35 in order to get there.

Per reports from Mike Roach of 247Sports, Blackshire is committing to the UTSA Roadrunners for the 2024 season, as he'll look to be a key defensive piece for coach Jeff Traylor in the AAC.

Originally a four-star prospect out of Duncanville, the same Texas high school that produced incoming Longhorns' 2024 five-star EDGE Colin Simmons, Blackshire had offers from a handful of elite programs -- including Texas -- before committing to Nick Saban and Alabama as part
of the 2021 recruiting class.

However, despite receiving offers from teams like Georgia, Michigan, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma and more, Blackshire never lived up to his elite expectations while in Tuscaloosa.

In three seasons, he posted 25 total tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In Texas' 34-24 win over Alabama in September, he had three tackles.

Blackshire had a role on special teams and got some action in some of Alabama's biggest games over the past few seasons, but he's now aiming for a bigger role that could potentially be there
for him in San Antonio.