Once considered a future starter at center, Cruz leaves the Forty Acres without making an impact.
The post-2022 recruiting efforts of Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood took another blow on Tuesday with the news that rising redshirt sophomore center Daniel Cruz is entering the NCAA transfer portal.
The 6’3, 312-pounder has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
A North Richland Hills product, Cruz was a significant addition to the 2024 Longhorns recruiting class because he was expected to become the future starter at a position long occupied by Jake Majors. With almost 30 total offers, Cruz chose Texas after taking official visits to Ohio State and Texas A&M. Other offers included Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, and USC. Ranked as a consensus four-star prospect, Cruz was the No. 312 player nationally and the No. 21 interior offensive lineman, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Cruz did not see action during the 2024 season as he redshirted before playing 14 snaps over two games in 2025. Because the decision by Cruz to depart the program was unexpected, it could be a sign that rising redshirt senior Connor Robertson plans to return in 2026 after taking over the starting center role late in the season, a development that would be a short-term win for the Horns and a longterm loss given the expectations for Cruz when he arrived on the Forty Acres.
Category: General Sports
