Just days after entering the transfer portal, former Syracuse defensive tackle Maraad Watson has found his new home at Texas. The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder will have three years of eligibility in Austin.

Watson is the second talented athlete from the defensive trenches that Steve Sarkisian has fished out of the transfer portal recently. Last week former Maryland defensive tackle Lavon Johnson made major waves when he signed with North Carolina and then Texas later in the day.

Watson started 11 games at defensive tackle in 2024 and posted 31 tackles, 1.5 of which were for loss, one sack, 10 quarterback pressures, and three batted passes.

Those elite options upfront could help the Longhorns continue their reign as a defensive juggernaut in the SEC. Last season the Longhorns held SEC teams to a league-best 283.4 yards of total offense.

The former three-star prospect in the Rivals 100, recorded 72 tackles and 15 sacks during his senior season at Irvington High School (N.J.).

Stay locked in on the Rivals Transfer Tracker to keep up with the latest transfer news, portal entries, commitments, and rankings. For a deep-dive into the transfer portal, make sure you visit the Rivals Transfer Search page.

The Rivals Transfer Portal X account is a must-follow for any college football fan.

The spring college football transfer portal window is scheduled to open on April 16th, 2025 for 10 days. It is the second transfer window of the 2025 recruiting cycle. The winter college football transfer portal window opened on December 9th, 2024 for 20 days. There was also a five-day window for players to transfer after their team finished postseason play. Additionally, players get a 30-day window to transfer when their head coach leaves.