Coveted Transfer CB Jay'Vion Cole Commits to Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns were looking to add a body to their secondary, and one of the best available is now on his way to Austin.

Matt Galatzan | May 5, 2024

Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during spring practice at the Frank Denius practice / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

AUSTIN - The Texas Longhorns suffered a pair of significant losses at the cornerback spot in recent weeks, when starting field corner Terrance Brooks and reserve STAR (nickel) back Austin Jordan both made their way to the NCAA Transfer Portal.

However, they didn't have to wait long to fill part of that void.

On Sunday, San Jose State standout cornerback transfer Jay'Vion Cole committed to Texas, picking the Longhorns over pursuit from Michigan State, Auburn, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), South Florida and Jacksonville State, among others.

Cole made the decision after an official visit to Austin over the weekend.

Oct 28, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Darris Lassiter (5) makes a / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Cole will have two years of eligibility remaining, and will immediately have a chance to come in and earn significant playing time with the Horns.

Cole, who began his career at Cal Poly, At Cal Poly was an impact player as a true freshman, finishing the season with 15 tackles, four passes defended, and four interceptions.

He then transferred from Cal Poly to San Jose State last offseason, where he ended the year with 28 tackles, 100 passes defended, three picks, and a sack, being named honorable mention All-Mountain West for his efforts.

So where does Cole fit with Texas?

On the boundary side, Malik Muhammad is the unquestioned starter, while at STAR, Jahdae Barron and Jaylon Guilbeau will form a dynamic duo, with the former having the positional flexibility to move around the secondary.

At the field corner spot, however, the Horns needed to find some help alongside Gavin Holmes, which is exactly where Cole could come in handy. He could theoretically get a significant run on either side, however.

Either way, Cole brings some much-needed experience to a secondary that is very young overall.

Published May 5, 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.