Tulane Football Adds Important Depth at Position of Need From TCU in Transfer Portal

Tulane Green Wave football is adding a star prospect in the trenches from the TCU Horned Frogs in the transfer portal.

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

The Tulane Green Wave football team is reloading at a position of need in the transfer portal and brought depth in at offensive tackle.

Pete Nakos with On3 Sports reports that former TCU Horned Frogs offensive lineman Mitch Hodnett is joining Tulane football.

The 6-foot-5, 295-pound Monroe, La., native did not see the field in his first season of college football and comes to the Green Wave with a crucial four years of eligibility remaining.

Hodnett was ranked the No. 27 interior offensive lineman in the nation and No. 29 overall prospect in Louisiana on the 247Sports composite rankings.

It follows what was reported by 247Sports as a strong spring showing for the redshirt freshman, as he saw increased reps through TCU’s 13 practices. He worked at right guard in the second offensive line group.

It’s not clear where Hodnett will slot in for Tulane on the offensive line, as Hodnett primarily played left tackle in high school but was working at interior in his second season of development with the Horned Frogs. 

The three-star prospect also competed in track and field and was a Louisiana 3A top-five finisher in the state shot put finals with a 48-2 his junior year.

Hodnett is likely looking forward to the opportunity to return to his home state and a school that offered him out of high school.

The Green Wave competed for Hodnett’s services as a prospect, but he ultimately signed with TCU over offers from the Kansas State Wildcats, Houston Cougars, Memphis Tigers, and Oklahoma State Cowboys.

With only two returning starters at left tackle and left guard, the team must fully assemble an offensive line.

Arguably, the performance of that unit is more important than the quarterback competition.

Hodnett is a strong pickup for offensive line coach Evan McKissack in his first season coaching the unit alongside assistant Kanan Ray. 

The team brought in several transfers in the portal and has lost a few in the second window. Robbie Pizzolato is the latest to enter after Gabe Fortson and Jude McCoskey departed.

Hodnett doesn’t have proven talent, but he has upside under Sumrall and his coaching staff.

A standout trait of Sumrall is his commitment to cultivating younger talent by putting them on the field, and several freshmen took snaps in blowout contests last season.

That’s something that draws young prospects to programs that are ready to develop and compete, and Hodnett is poised to do so in a wide-open position group from the center position to right tackle.