Like edge defender Drew Sanders, Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Jahleel Billingsley entered the NCAA transfer portal on Tuesday. On Friday, his instagram feed revealed that the rising senior with two years of eligibility remaining is in Austin visiting the Texas Longhorns.
It appears former Alabama TE Jahleel Billingsly is in Austin, per his Instagram. Billingsly entered the transfer portal Tuesday following Monday’s national championship game. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/UFx2Mu2GMG
— HornSports (@HornSports) January 15, 2022
The Chicago native has obvious connections to the Texas program — he was recruited by Longhorns tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Banks as a member of the 2019 recruiting class and had a breakout 2020 season under Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian when he was the offensive coordinator for Alabama.
A consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 11 tight end, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Billingsley had 18 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns in 2020 and 17 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns in an uneven 2021 campaign.
With more consistent play, the 6’4, 230-pounder might be an NFL prospect, but for Texas Billingsley would represent a proven contributor at the position following the graduation of Cade Brewer and the transfer of Jared Wiley. With Wiley departing the program for TCU, Texas lacks experience at the position even though there’s enough young talent that the staff declined to sign a tight end in the 2022 recruiting class.
The Longhorns have missed on some recent targets in the transfer portal, but Billingsley landing on the Forty Acres makes a lot of sense for both sides.
