The Longhorns secure a powerful blocker, upgrading their offensive line's reliability and foundational strength for the upcoming season.
Texas didn't go shopping for fireworks at tight end this time, it went looking for something far more boring - and far more necessary.
On Monday, the Longhorns added Michigan State transfer Michael Masunas, and while his highlight reel won't melt YouTube servers, his arrival answers a very real question that quietly nagged Texas throughout last season. Who is actually blocking at tight end?
At 6-5, 259 pounds, Masunas shows up in Austin with one year of eligibility, a lunch-pail body of work, and a skill set that offensive coordinator Jeff Banks will appreciate far more on second-and-four than third-and-long.
This is a floor move. And sometimes, that's the smartest move you can make.
Masunas' journey started at Hamilton High School in the Phoenix area, a program known more for producing dependable, physical players than five-star divas. When he signed with Michigan State in the 2022 class, he did so as a classic developmental tight end.
The recruiting services tagged him as a three-star, and the offers reflected that profile. Arizona, Florida State, Tennessee and Utah were all solid programs looking for projection, not polish.
That's exactly how his college career unfolded.
After redshirting in 2022 and living almost exclusively on special teams early, Masunas finally got his window in 2024, starting the first four games before a shoulder injury shut him down.
The box score didn't say much - four catches, 37 yards - but evaluators noticed something else. According to Pro Football Focus, Masunas graded well as both a run blocker and pass protector in his limited snaps.
In 2025, the role expanded, and so did the trust. Masunas finished with 19 catches on 21 targets for 232 yards and three touchdowns. No drops. One quarterback hit allowed in pass protection.
Three pressures total on 81 pass-blocking snaps. That's not eye-popping production, but it's quietly impressive efficiency.
And that's where Texas comes in.
Last season, the Longhorns often functioned as if the in-line tight end was more theoretical than practical. Spencer Shannon logged over 200 snaps and didn't see a single target. That's not a knock; it's an indictment of how limited the position had become in the offense.
Masunas fixes that baseline problem.
He blocks and understands leverage. He doesn't freelance. He catches the ball when it's thrown to him and gets north-south without drama.
In 12 personnel packages, he allows Texas to actually threaten balance again, which matters when you're trying to live in the SEC without getting your quarterback baptized every Saturday.
No one inside the building thinks Masunas is the final answer. Texas is still expected to pursue a vertical, matchup-stressing tight end through the portal. But every good offense needs a grown-up in the room ... someone who makes the playbook functional instead of theoretical.
Masunas raises the floor. And after last season, Texas badly needed to stop tripping over it.
Sometimes the smartest portal wins don't come with hype; they come with fewer blown assignments, cleaner pockets, and coaches sleeping better on Sunday night.
This one checks all three boxes.