Texas Football’s defense hit hard by Cheez-It Citrus Bowl opt-outs

BeitNFLDraftstockpreservationorinjuryortransfer,severalTexasLonghornshaveoptedoutofplayingintheCheez-ItCitrusBowlagainsttheMichiganWolverinesinOrlandoonNewYear’sEve.UT’srosterhasbeenespeciallyhithardondefense. LinebackerAnthonyHillJr.,safetyMichaelTaaffe,defensiveendTreyMooreandDEEthanBurkehavealloptedoutofthetriptoFlorida.AllfouroftheLonghornsplayerswillenterthe2026NFLDraftandareunderstandablypreservingtheirdraftstock. Buttherearetwosurprisenames:cornerbackMalikMuhammadandcornerbackJaylonGuilbeau.NooneexpectedMuhammadtoeitherentertheNFLDraftoroptoutofthebowl.ThereisapossibilitytheNFLDraftAdvisoryBoardhasgivenhimahighergradethanexpectedandhe’sweighinghisoptions. Guilbeau’scaseisalittledifferent.TheDBwasbenchedinNovemberandmightbeweighingatransfer.Alwaysapart-timeplayer,thePortArthurnativehadfewersnapsthisseasonthantruefreshmenGrace