SMU strategically adds experienced EDGE Maris White, a reliable veteran, bolstering their pass rush for the demanding ACC season.
SMU didn’t land the splashiest name in the transfer portal at edge rusher, and that might actually be the point.
After missing out on a high-priced ACC-proven defensive end earlier in the cycle, the Mustangs pivoted quickly and deliberately, securing former UMass EDGE Maris White for what is expected to be his final collegiate season.
It’s a move that won’t dominate headlines, but inside the program, it checks several important boxes.
Experience. Maturity. Reliability.
White arrives in Dallas as an older, battle-tested defender who has taken a winding but productive path through college football.
He’s played at multiple levels, logged meaningful snaps in real games, and, most importantly, shown steady improvement each stop along the way. At UMass, he emerged as a consistent source of pressure, posting strong tackle-for-loss and sack numbers.
What stands out most is how SMU is using him. The Mustangs aren’t asking White to be “the guy.”
Instead, he’s expected to be a key rotational piece at the Bandit spot, allowing the staff to keep bodies fresh and tailor matchups week to week. In today’s ACC, where offenses stretch the field horizontally and quarterbacks get the ball out quickly, depth on the edge isn’t optional.
That reality is especially important for SMU, given the health and development questions in the room.
With one edge rusher returning from injury and another making the jump from a lower level, the staff clearly wanted a stabilizer.
White provides that. He’s strong enough to hold up against the run, experienced enough to understand leverage, and active enough to capitalize when protections break down.
There’s also an intangible element that matters more than fans sometimes realize.
White has built a reputation as a high-character player who’s navigated adversity and earned respect in multiple locker rooms.
That kind of presence plays well in a defensive line room that’s mixing veterans with young, hungry prospects.
From a roster-building perspective, this is modern college football at work. SMU didn’t panic when the first option went elsewhere. It leaned on prior evaluations, trusted its board, and targeted a one-year contributor who fits both the scheme and the culture.
Could White become a breakout story? Possibly. At minimum, he gives SMU flexibility and insurance in a spot that lacked consistency a season ago.
Sometimes the best portal additions aren’t about star power. They’re about fit, timing, and knowing exactly what you’re buying.
For SMU, Maris White looks like a calculated bet ... and those are often the ones that pay off.