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Longhorns in talk with East Texas A&M LB and Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year Brandon Tucker (story with quotes)

Suchomel

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The Longhorns are looking for experienced players at linebacker in the transfer portal, and East Texas A&M standout Brandon Tucker is squarely on the radar.

Tucker, who was recently named Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, set a school record for most tackles in a season with 141. He also led the conference with 15 tackles for loss.

Tucker tells Orangebloods.com that Texas has been in touch with his father and the two sides are in discussion about setting up a visit.

It’s been an interesting few years for Tucker. After playing his high school ball at DeSoto, he then went to Myrtle Beach Prep. In 2023, he basically took the year off to use a redshirt and recommit himself to the game of football, and he followed that up with a stellar 2024 season at East Texas A&M.

“I’m very interested (in Texas),” Tucker said. “Especially throughout my process, starting at a prep school, going to Commerce, being able to break a record (for tackles), be first defensive player to win Defensive Player of the Year. … I have a great relationship with the coaches at Commerce, but they told me I’ve done all I can there, that it’s time to move on. With a school like Texas reaching out, God answers all prayers.”

While taking 2023 off in terms of live game action, Tucker said he found a new focus and a new drive, and he now knows what it takes to play at the highest level.

“I took 2023 off, used a redshirt year. I took a year off to reevaluate. I told myself, when I wasn’t playing, I found a new love, fell in love with football. I got closer to God. That was my biggest change. I stopped going out, stopped indulging in any activities. Everything I did was football-led,” Tucker said. “Hard work paid off. You hear them say ‘this guy lived in the training room,’ well I was on the field at 5 a.m. every day. I was in the meeting room with coaches every day. I lived in the film room. This year, I feel like 80/20 I could tell what play was coming up.”

Along with Texas, schools like Houston, SMU, UTSA, UTEP, Delaware, Coastal Carolina and Nevada after Tucker entered the portal on Monday.

Texas hasn’t formally offered Tucker, but the coaches have told him they’d like to get him to Austin and at that point a formal offer could be extended.

“They gave me an offer, but the offer was them bringing me up, they want to see me. My dad and I are in the process of literally putting together visit dates,” Tucker said.

Tucker has two years left at whatever school he chooses. He says Texas is one of his top early options.

“They’re easy top three. It’s a pretty easy decision for my family. I played at DeSoto. I already have teammates there. Byron Murphy was my d-lineman in high school. That would be big (if Texas offered),” Tucker said.

Along with Texas, Tucker is looking to visit Houston, UTSA and possibly SMU. The Texas coaches have told him he’d have an opportunity to play right away in the Longhorns’ defense.

“That’s what we talked about. They’re not very deep at linebacker. They told me they need a good quality linebacker, that the opportunity is there,” Tucker said.

 
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