One of Texas football's top offensive players from the 2024-25 campaign is set to enter the transfer portal. Tight end Amari Niblack announced his decision on Friday, according to CBS Sports.
Niblack hauled in five receptions for 33 yards over nine appearances during his junior Longhorns season. A top 100 recruit in the 2022 class, Niblack has his options for a more suitable landing spot in the portal, as his initial hopes of carving out a bigger role for Texas didn't go as planned, per Matt Connolly of On3 Sports.
It's uncertain for the moment where Niblack could wind up, but the fresh start, and with more opportunities available he could become an offense's top tight end pass catcher.
Texas football remains optimistic for 2025
While losing any returning player is a tough pill to swallow for a program, Texas can raise its head high once again with the much-needed announcement of defensive end Trey Moore, who quickly became one of the defense's best pass rushers in the 2024-25 season.
Jordan Washington could be the next tight end in line for Niblack as a true sophomore, according to Josh Newman of LoneStarLive.com.
“The maturity piece is going to probably happen a little more in this spring,” Texas tight ends coach Jeff Banks told LoneStarLive.com at Peach Bowl media day last month. “He’s on the scout team right now, and he’s enjoying it. He’s getting coached hard by the defensive coaches in terms of ‘That’s not how they run the route. that’s not how they block it.”
“There’s an element to that, but also kind of getting your butt kicked over there with the first-team defense. It’s kind of good, because when I get him this spring, he’ll have a little more mettle and toughness, mental toughness because he had to go against the 1s. We’ll hone him up, but he’s definitely come along physically now.”
In the days following the Longhorns' devastating loss to Ohio State in the College Football semifinal, the program lost a bevy of offensive superstars to the NFL Draft. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, offensive tackles Kelvin Banks and Cameron Williams, running back Jaydon Blue, and wide receivers Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond.