How Texas defensive transfers are performing

Two former Texas Longhorns linebackers have the biggest roles among the defensive transfers who left the Texas Longhorns this offseason — Elijah “Bo” Barnes has started every game for the 5-1 Kentucky Wildcats, and Liona Lefau is listed first at one inside linebacker spot on the Colorado Buffaloes’ latest depth chart after starting three of five games for head coach Deion Sanders.

The rest of the group has had a wider range of opportunities. Caleb Chester and Melvin Hills III have played in every game at their new schools without a start. Lavon Johnson started Maryland’s first three games, Graham Gillespie has appeared in three games for North Texas, and Santana Wilson is still waiting for his Louisville debut.

Linebackers

Elijah “Bo” Barnes, Kentucky

Barnes has gone from a redshirt season at Texas to six straight starts at middle linebacker for Kentucky. His 37 tackles, 17 of them solo, rank fourth on the team, and he has 2.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup, and two quarterback hurries.

His most productive game was his latest — 12 tackles in Kentucky’s 35-34 overtime win over LSU on October 10. The Wildcats are 5-1, and Barnes has started alongside Grant Godfrey, the team’s leading tackler. Kentucky’s game notes credit Barnes with four appearances and no starts at Texas in 2025.

Liona Lefau, Colorado

Lefau started all 12 regular-season games at Texas as a junior. At Colorado, he has played in all five games, starting three, and ranks fourth on the team with 31 tackles, along with 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.

His best game was a team-high nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss, at Baylor on September 26. He followed with six tackles and his first Colorado pass breakup against Texas Tech.

Colorado’s depth chart for its October 17 game against Utah lists Lefau first at one inside linebacker spot, with Gideon Lampron at the other and Gage Goldberg as the backup at both. Lefau is also one of eight players on Colorado’s list of core special-team players, which tracks players who have seen action on at least three of the four main coverage and return units. The 6’1, 230-pounder has played 35 snaps on special teams.

Defensive line

Lavon Johnson, Maryland

Johnson returned to Maryland after spending the 2025 season at Texas. The Terrapins’ game-by-game starting chart lists him on the starting defensive line for their first three games, against Hampton, UConn and Virginia Tech.

Through Maryland’s October 10 loss at Ohio State, the Terrapins’ statistics credit him with three games played, three tackles, and a tackle for loss. Two of those tackles came in the opener against Hampton. The 6’2, 320-pounder is also credited with two missed tackles this season.

Johnson has not played in the last two games with an undisclosed injury.

Melvin Hills III, UConn

Hills has appeared in all six of UConn’s games, with eight tackles and a pass breakup. He had two tackles against Southern Miss and two more in the Huskies’ October 10 win at Temple. He has not recorded a tackle for loss or a sack.

The depth chart UConn issued for the Temple game lists Hills third at one defensive tackle spot, behind Esean Carter and Desmond Aladuge, who are separated by an “or” at the top of the chart. He has not started — UConn’s starting chart covers the first five games, and the Temple game book lists him among the reserves.

Secondary

Caleb Chester, Arizona State

Chester has played in all five of Arizona State’s games without a start. He has nine tackles, seven of them solo, and no interceptions or pass breakups. Four of those tackles came against Morgan State and five against Baylor. He did not record one in the October 10 win over Hawai‘i.

Arizona State’s depth chart for the Hawai‘i game lists Chester second behind Ashton Stamps at one cornerback spot, ahead of AJ Belgrave-Shorter and Nasir Stephens. He has been a regular reserve since leaving Texas after his freshman season and features prominently on special teams with 54 total snaps across four units, primarily kick return and punt return.

Santana Wilson, CB, Louisville

After two seasons at Texas without appearing in a game, Wilson made his collegiate debut against SMU in Week 3 with five snaps on kick return. He is yet to appear on defense at Louisville.

Graham Gillespie, S, North Texas

Gillespie joined North Texas after four seasons at Texas, where he appeared in five games as a walk on. The fifth-year safety has played in three games for the Mean Green on special teams, totaling 25 snaps with most of his playing time coming on kick return.

He has no defensive statistics through October 10, and he is not listed anywhere on North Texas’ most recent depth chart, issued for the Charlotte game. CJ Coombes and Jason Cross Jr. are the first-team safeties on that chart.

Special teams

Will Stone, K, UCF

Stone has taken over UCF’s place kicking after primarily handling kickoffs at Texas. Through six games, he has made 5-of-6 field goals, with a long of 40, and all 25 of his extra-point attempts. He also kicks off, with 26 touchbacks on 34 kickoffs.

His first college field goal came in the season opener, a 34-yarder against Bethune-Cookman, on a night he made 10 extra points to tie UCF’s single-game record.

At Oklahoma State on Oct. 10, Stone made all four extra points, but missed a 45-yard attempt late in the third quarter with UCF trailing 24-21. It was his first miss as a Knight. Oklahoma State won 42-28, dropping UCF to 3-3, and four of Stone’s five kickoffs went for touchbacks.