Texas football has set on Philip Blidi, a recent transfer DL from Indiana this spring

Defensive tackle is the position that Texas football needs to scout the most in the spring window via the NCAA Transfer Portal. For the upcoming 2024 SEC season, Texas wants a seasoned defensive tackle who can contribute right away to their defensive front.

Texas football is pursuing a recent DL transfer from Indiana. Blidi Philip

A recent addition to the transfer portal this spring, catching the attention of the Longhorns, is Philip Blidi, a former senior defensive tackle from Indiana Hoosiers and Texas Tech Red Raiders. Blidi, who has transferred twice, declared his intention to transfer as a graduate student on March 18 via his X account.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 295 pounds, Blidi is a familiar name for many Texas fans due to his stint at Texas Tech a few years back. After spending three seasons at Texas Tech, he moved to Indiana last offseason.

Blidi has competed against the Longhorns twice during his time at Texas Tech, in the years 2021 and 2022.

Since Blidi entered the transfer portal on March 18, numerous prominent Power Five programs, including the Washington Huskies and LSU Tigers, have either extended offers or initiated contact with him. Recent reports, including from Inside Texas, suggest that the Longhorns have also reached out to Blidi since his entry into the portal as a graduate transfer roughly five days ago.

Blidi is said to be in the process of arranging an official visit to Texas during this spring. However, as of March 23, no specific dates for his official visit to Texas have been confirmed.

Currently, Blidi has official visits scheduled to visit the Arizona Wildcats, Washington, and LSU this spring.

Texas is taking a cautious approach in their dealings with Blidi. Given that he won’t graduate for another couple of months and wouldn’t potentially join the campus until the summer semester, they are opting to wait before extending any offers.

During the spring window, proven transfer defensive tackles are hard to come by on the portal.

Blidi possesses the qualities that new defensive line coach Kenny Baker and the Longhorns are seeking in an experienced and proven defensive tackle available in the portal this spring. With multiple years of live-game experience in the Power Five, Blidi brings a valuable resume to the table.

During his three seasons at Texas Tech, Blidi consistently contributed, logging over 150 defensive snaps each year along the defensive front.

In 2023, Blidi stood out as the second-highest-graded defensive lineman with double-digit starts and nearly 450 defensive snaps for the Hoosiers. He also ranked among the top 10 defensive tackles in the Big Ten conference last season.

With his production and size, Blidi appears to be a natural fit as a three-tech defensive tackle on the Longhorns’ two-deep roster along the defensive front. Weighing in at 295 pounds, Blidi combines quickness with aggression, making him disruptive as an interior pass rusher.

Blidi’s ability to locate and tackle ball carriers around the line of scrimmage in run defense adds to his value. Although he has been productive in generating quarterback pressures, he has struggled to convert those pressures into sacks, possibly due to the lack of support from his defensive lines at Indiana and Texas Tech.

Despite registering 15 quarterback pressures at Indiana last season, Blidi did not record a single sack, despite tallying 11 hurries and four QB hits. Joining a stronger defensive unit at Texas could enhance his pass-rushing productivity significantly.

Blidi could also bolster Texas’s interior pass rush rotation, benefiting talented edge rushers like Trey Moore, Barryn Sorrell, and Colin Simmons.

As Blidi’s portal recruitment unfolds, we will keep an eye out for updates on a potential offer and official visit date for him to explore Texas this spring.