Texas LB Edwin Freeman announces intention to become a graduate transfer

On Saturday, Texas Longhorns linebacker Edwin Freeman announced that he will not spend his senior season in Austin, as he instead plans on becoming a graduate transfer:

“I will forever be grateful to The University of Texas and all of my coaches for giving me the opportunity to come earn my degree and play football at my dream school,” Freeman said in a statement released by the school. “I especially want to thank all of my teammates who have become my brothers over the last four years. With that said, I’ve decided to transfer with my degree in hand and pursue an opportunity at another school to finish my football career.”

The physical culture and sports major was expected to provide depth for the Longhorns in 2018 after appearing in 11 games as a junior and starting five games as a sophomore. However, a triceps injury sustained during the offseason kept Freeman out of spring practice and hurt his positioning for his final season.

Freeman had six tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery during his final season at Texas.

A former consensus four-star prospect and top-200 player nationally, Freeman was one of the few remaining Longhorns who was recruited by Mack Brown.

With Freeman’s departure, Texas lost an experienced linebacker from a group that increased depth during the spring by using Malcolm Roach and Jeffrey McCulloch in the Mac and Rover spots. Behind prospective starters Gary Johnson and Anthony Wheeler, both seniors, the Horns don’t have a lot of proven talent for those positions.