As Texas prepares to host its first group of official visitors this weekend, the Longhorns are 85 days away from kicking the 2024 season off against the Colorado State Rams. As the countdown clock gets closer and closer to zero, Inside Texas takes a look at the players wearing Nos. 94-85 to continue our roster countdown series.
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No. 94 – Jaray Bledsoe
Bledsoe was on the field for some important moments during the 2023 season, including Alabama’s final offensive snap in the Longhorns’ 34-24 win in Tuscaloosa. That was part of a decent number of opportunities, but T’Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy, Alfred Collins, Vernon Broughton, and Trill Carter ate up most of the 2023 defensive tackle snaps.
While there’s no Sweat, Murphy, or Carter this year, Collins and Broughton remain. Plus, Bledsoe now has a number of grad transfer defensive tackles to compete with for playing time. There’s a path toward standard down snaps, but if that is too difficult for Bledsoe to traverse he could be a useful pass-rush defensive tackle on passing downs.
No. 93 – Not worn
After Sweat made most of the college football world aware of who No. 93 was, it is currently not assigned.
No. 92 – Colton Vasek
Vasek rarely suited up for games during his first fall as the result of shoulder problems that wouldn’t go away. Those problems appear to be a thing of the past and Vasek parlayed health into a strong spring. EDGE is as loaded as it’s been in some time, but Vasek’s size and movement skills at 6-foot-5, 256 pounds will earn him some time at one of the two EDGE spots this year.
No. 91 – Ethan Burke
Vasek’s path to the field may be limited, though, by his former Westlake High School teammate. Burke solidified himself as an indispensable part of the Longhorn defense last season, often working at Buck opposite Barryn Sorrell at Jack. At 6-foot-6, 254 pounds, Burke could see plenty of action at both Buck and Jack this year and will be one of the players the Longhorns need to perform consistently to achieve their season goals.
No. 90 – Sydir Mitchell
Steve Sarkisian was asked about the eye-opening weight of Mitchell and several others at the beginning of spring ball. Mitchell, who is listed at 6-foot-6, 372 pounds, has loads of talent but that talent can only sustain itself for a few short spurts at that weight. Sarkisian’s answer said he was confident the Texas heat in summer workouts would do a lot toward helping Mitchell get to a more manageable weight. Mitchell has a lot of other players to compete with for playing time, but right now he’s competing against himself.
No. 89 – Ty Boatright
Boatright is a 6-foot-0, 180-pound walk-on receiver who will help Texas prepare for opponents in 2024.
No. 88 – Barryn Sorrell
Sorrell enters 2024 as a two-year starter at Jack, and barring a surge from someone like Burke, Vasek, or someone else, he’ll remain the starter at that position. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection after netting 37 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks. Increased competition will make holding onto his job more difficult, but it’ll also help Sorrell in what should be a strong senior campaign.
No. 87 – Will Randle
A major knee injury in high school meant most of Randle’s freshman year was spent in recovery. Now able to play football again, Randle will be part of the mix in Jeff Banks‘ group looking to earn playing time behind TE1 Gunnar Helm.
No. 86 – Dorian Black
A transfer from Morehouse College and a Harker Heights native, Black is a walk-on defensive tackle who did not appear in a game during the 2023 season.
No. 85 – Gunnar Helm
Helm was the TE2 to Ja’Tavion Sanders‘ TE1 last season, and was often on the field when Texas went to 12 personnel with two tight ends, two wide receivers, and one running back. Now with Sanders on the Carolina Panthers, TE1 belongs to Helm.
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What Helm is able to do with it is up to him. Sarkisian has expressed a lot of confidence in Helm both for his on-the-field ability and for his off-the-field leadership. He’ll have competition in Alabama transfer Amari Niblack, but Helm and Niblack are more likely to form a strong one-two punch as opposed to Niblack overtaking Helm at the front of the line.
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