Texas WR Jake Smith enters the NCAA transfer portal

While Steve Sarkisian has excelled in the transfer portal, the other side can be just as detrimental.

On Tuesday, wide receiver Jake Smith entered the transfer portal after two seasons in Austin. Max Olson of The Athletic was the first to report the news. A former four-star recruit, Smith played in 20 games, having 568 yards and nine touchdowns.

A broken foot kept the wide receiver out of the entirety of spring practice. While Smith was not expected to be a full-time starter, he was going to be a major contributor in Sarkisian’s offense.

Smith was a member of the 2019 recruiting class under Tom Herman. He was the No. 49 overall prospect after winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Being a Scottsdale, Arizona native, a west coast option is the most likely destination for Smith.

Tom Herman’s usage of Smith will leave fans wondering what if. In Mike Yurcich’s offense, Smith played in the slot with Jordan Whittington. Rarely would the two receivers have the opportunity to be on the field at the same time. Smith never had the opportunity to prove he could be an every-down receiver.

With the roster in front of Sarkisian, the addition of Xavier Worthy seems that much more important. Whittington, Troy Omeire, and Joshua Moore will continue to be the top three receivers but the depth gets thinner with Smith’s departure.

The need for four wide receivers in the 2022 recruiting class just became more important.