Patience yields a proven punter as Texas secures a vital specialist. Expect more crucial portal pickups to follow this strategic, low-key acquisition.
Texas fans have made their feelings clear over the last week ... the portal has opened, names are flying, and the Longhorns haven't exactly been lighting up the commitment tracker.
At this stage, Texas has secured four portal pledges - three specialists and one interior defensive lineman - a number that feels underwhelming given championship expectations in Austin.
Still, context matters. It's early in the portal cycle, visits are underway, and movement tends to snowball once the first dominoes fall.
According to Horns247, that acceleration is coming, with staff predictions already rolling in for Texas' next wave of additions.
One portal move is already locked in, and it’s a meaningful one.
Texas landed Florida State transfer punter Mac Chiumento, a rising senior who averaged 44.0 yards per punt during the 2025 season. The Daytona Beach native immediately steps in as the likely replacement for departing punter Jack Bouwmeester and gives the Longhorns stability at a position that quietly matters far more than fans like to admit.
Chiumento spent four seasons with the Florida State Seminoles, patiently waiting behind All-American punter Alex Mastromanno. When his opportunity finally came in 2025, Chiumento delivered.
He logged 27 punts for 1,187 yards, dropped 13 inside the 20, and recorded just one touchback. His longest punt traveled 56 yards, and his consistency earned him FSU's Special Teams MVP, despite being a first-year starter.
This move also reflects a lesson Texas has learned the hard way.
Relying on true freshman punters is risky business. The Longhorns tried it with Michael Kern in 2024, saw mixed results, and eventually watched him transfer to Cal.
While Texas has Under Armour All-American Mikey Bukuaskas waiting in the wings, bringing in Chiumento allows the staff to avoid rushing a freshman into a high-pressure role.
Instead, Bukuaskas can compete for the job, and if he doesn't win it, he can redshirt and develop while Chiumento handles punting duties as a one-year rental.
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Chiumento has experience handling kickoffs and holding on field goals, with five touchbacks on 10 career kickoffs and an average of 63 yards per kick. That flexibility only increases his value in Steve Sarkisian's roster math.
Texas' portal approach may not be flashy yet, but it's deliberate. The Longhorns are addressing floor-raising needs first, ensuring they aren't exposed by inexperience at critical spots. If Horns247's projections hold true, Chiumento won't be the last addition for long.
Sometimes the smartest portal wins don't trend on social media ... they win field position in October.