Texas has the chance to produce an elite defense this season but there will be many pieces to replace after the calendar flips. Or more hopeful, after January 20th. Many of the replacement pieces are on the current roster, including some very exciting ones, but in this era if you’re not capitalizing on the portal you’re Clemsoning. 

The good news is I think this defensive coaching staff is fitting extremely well together and the proof is in the coherence of play, not just the talent. Some of that coherence is explained by experienced portal additions and Texas will need to find more of them this December and then again in April. 

Here’s the offensive version in case you missed it.

Defensive Tackle

Texas is set to lose Alfred Collins, Vernon Broughton, Jermayne Lole, Bill Norton, and Tia Savea. It also remains to be seen what happens with Sydir Mitchell. Mitchell was viewed as a key, long-term piece when he singed in 2023.

From the existing roster, that leaves Jaray Bledsoe, Aaron Bryant, Alex January, Melvin Hills, and maybe Mitchell. Gulp.

Texas is going to land a really good defensive tackle class, and opportunity is indeed a good selling point, but they can’t go into 2025 with this many questions at the position. 

Further compounding the issue, Kenny Baker doesn’t have a long recruiting or coaching history to draw from.

Needs: 2-3

Edge

Texas is only guaranteed to lose Barryn Sorrell. Trey Moore could join him as a departure but his production is going to need to increase dramatically. UT will return a studly corp consisting of Ethan Burke, future star Colton Vasek, and future star Colin Simmons. Throw in a wily vet like Justice Finkley and exciting young talents like Zina Umeozulu, Lance Jackson, and Javion Hilson (?) and my view is needs are already met. 

Hopefully that remains the case because Edges aren’t cheap.

*I’m intentionally committing Smith Orogbo. I think he has a very high ceiling but he’ll need a year in the weight room and cafeteria. 

Needs: 0-1, probably depends on Moore. 

Linebacker

The 2025 projection is simple: Very talented, very thin. Anthony Hill, Liona Lefau, and Tyanthony Smith will be very good. Derion Gullette will be good in time, but when that time is, I’m not sure. 

You don’t want to count on freshmen linebackers but Elijah Barnes is seeing the field very well and will be a quick responder to S&C. He has a chance to play as a true freshman.

But what about the lack of overall experience at a position that nearly demands it? Losing David Gbenda and Morice Blackwell is a problem, one that affects special teams as well in the case of Blackwell. 

We’ll see how recruiting goes. If Johnny Nansen lands another physically mature linebacker (Madden Faraimo?) or super talented (Riley Pettijohn?) they may only need one from the portal.

Needs: 1-2

Safety

Andrew Mukuba will be a loss any way you look at it. Finding someone with his upside and experience likely won’t come from the portal. Good news! Texas has two potential alternatives on the roster in Derek Williams and Jelani McDonald. 

Michael Taaffe will be the wily vet or future draft pick depending on how much you stereotype. 

Safety will be in a good spot with Jordon Johnson-Rubell a year older, Xavier Filsaime less raw (remember: he came to safety late), and five-star Jonah Williams coming in. 

Needs: 0, unless they want JJ-R to focus on Star

Cornerback

Like his friend and fellow Cen-Tex native Andrew Mukuba, Jahdae Barron will be a big loss no matter what. But in a similar vein, Texas has some capable replacements. Terry Joseph could go with Kobe Black, Warren Roberson, or Jay’Vion Cole opposite Malik Muhammad. 

At Star, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Jaylon Guilbeau will bail after this year. That isn’t to say it’s likely. If he did leave, a lot of things are going to need to be re-worked. 

Needs: 1-2, depending on Guilbeau

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