Texas Defensive Lineman Alfred Collins 'Expected to Return' in 2024

The Texas Longhorns are getting a major boost to their defensive line with the return of Alfred Collins

Matt Galatzan | Jan 3, 2024

Texas Defensive Lineman Alfred Collins 'Expected to Return' in 2024 /

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Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns are getting a major boost to their defensive line in 2024.

According to reports from Inside Texas, Longhorns defensive lineman Alfred Collins is expected to return to the team in 2024 for their inaugural SEC run.

Collins is gaining another year of eligibility due to a COVID-19 waiver from the 2020 season.

The news comes on the heels of star wide receiver Xavier Worthy declaring his intentions to enter the 2024 NFL Draft on Tuesday night.

Alfred Collins — Mikala Compton/American-Statesman-USA TODAY NETWORK

The return of Collins is a major win for the Horns, who are set to lose both T'Vondre Sweat and (likely) Byron Murphy to the NFL next season. That said, Murphy has not officially declared his intentions to stay or go as of yet.

In his 48 career games at Texas, Collins has 86 tackles, five pass deflections, 6.5 sacks 12.5 tackles for loss, and an interception, and has been one of the more impactful defenders on the defense when he is on the field.

Collins started five games in 2023, making 22 tackles with two sacks and two tackles for loss.

Texas Star WR Xavier Worthy Declares for NFL Draft

He also helped form one-half of a dynamic defensive tackle rotation alongside Sweat, Murphy, and Vernon Broughton.

With his return to the fold next season, Collins will join an interior defensive line room that will feature returners in Broughton, Sydir Mitchell, Jaray Bledsoe, Zac Swanson, and Aaron Bryant, and incoming freshmen D'Antre Robinson, Alex January, and Melvin Hills.

The Longhorns will also be getting a major boost off of the edge from transfer Trey Moore and freshman Colin Simmons.

Published Jan 3, 2024

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.