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The number of freshmen (and walk-ons) with prominent roles in the two deep is startling. This reads like no Texas depth chart I've seen in a while.
OFFENSE
WIDE RECEIVER (H)
NO PLAYER CL HT WT
8 Jaxon Shipley*** (24)______________Sr. ___ 6-0 ____ 190
40 Ty Templin _____________________ So.+ __ 6-0 ____ 195
-or- 83 Armanti Foreman _______________ Fr.-HS _ 6-0 ____ 189
WIDE RECEIVER (Z)
7 Marcus Johnson** (4) ______________ Jr. ___ 6-1 ____ 193
11 Jacorey Warrick___________________So. ___5-11____ 172
83 Armanti Foreman _______________ Fr.-HS _ 6-0 ____ 189
TIGHT END (Y)
82 Geoff Swaim* (9) (SWAYM)________Sr. ___ 6-4 ____ 250
85 M.J. McFarland* (4) ______________ Jr.+___ 6-4 ____ 249
47 Andrew Beck___________________ Fr.-HS _ 6-3 ____ 242
RIGHT TACKLE
77 Kennedy Estelle* (8)_______________ Jr. ___ 6-6 ____ 285
71 Camrhon Hughes (CAM-ron) ________So. ___ 6-7 ____ 324
RIGHT GUARD
76 Kent Perkins (1) __________________So. ___ 6-5 ____ 330
52 Darius James ___________________ Fr.-RS _ 6-5 ____ 304
CENTER
55 Dominic Espinosa*** (39) _________ Sr.+ __ 6-3 ____ 308
50 Jake Raulerson (RAWL-er-son) ____ Fr.-RS _ 6-5 ____ 281
LEFT GUARD
66 Sedrick Flowers** (1) _____________ Jr.+___ 6-3 ____ 320
74 Taylor Doyle ____________________ Jr.+___ 6-4 ____ 298
LEFT TACKLE
65 Marcus Hutchins_________________ Jr.+ ___ 6-5 ____ 278
72 Elijah Rodriguez ________________ Fr.-HS _ 6-3 ____ 292
WIDE RECEIVER (X)
9 John Harris** ___________________ Sr.+ __ 6-2 ____ 218
84 Lorenzo Joe ____________________ Fr.-HS _ 6-2 ____ 201
QUARTERBACK
14 David Ash** (21) ________________ Jr.+___ 6-3 ____ 230
18 Tyrone Swoopes __________________So. ___ 6-4 ____ 243
13 Jerrod Heard (JAH-rod) __________ Fr.-HS _ 6-2 ____ 199
TAILBACK
28 Malcolm Brown*** (12)____________Sr. ___5-11____ 222
-or- 32 Johnathan Gray** (13) _____________ Jr. ___5-11____ 215
FULLBACK
48 Dominic Cruciani ________________ Jr.+___5-11____ 225
36 Alex De La Torre** (de la TOR-ay) __ Jr. ___ 6-1 ____ 241
PLACE-KICKER
NO PLAYER CL HT WT
23 Nick Rose** _____________________ Jr. ___ 6-2 ____ 203
28 Nick Jordan* ____________________ So.+ __ 6-1 ____ 175
Jaxon Shipley starts in the slot, backed equally by Ty Templin and Armanti Foreman who will both vie for #2 reps in the rotation. Jacorey Warrick backs up Marcus Johnson (Johnson has been cross-trained at every WR position and according to Watson "has a brilliant football mind") while freshman Lorenzo Joe backs up surprise starter John Harris. We know who our six WRs are now and it's clear that the staff wants to get Joe and Foreman seasoning so that they can factor into the second half of the season. How does Daje fit in? Does he get half of his snaps at RB and split out the rest a la Dexter McCluster?
Swaim won't leave the field except in four wides. McFarland is the first TE off of the bench - nice to see him pull it together - and true freshman linebacker convert Andrew Beck has already flashed enough to earn TE #3. I don't think Greg Daniels reclaims a meaningful role outside of blocking sets.
Congrats to OT Marcus Hutchins - placed on the DT scrap heap by the last staff, he'll be protecting David Ash against the Mean Green. Have no doubt that Wickline is running a meritocracy - no one would have predicted this two months ago. Hutchins has good athletic ability, but he's a bit light in the ass. We'll see how he holds up against bigger competition.
Walk-on Dominic Cruciani has beaten out Alex De La Torre. His snaps won't come at the expense of Geoff Swaim acting as a motion TE. But he will see the field in some sets.
I still think Kent Perkins is our #3 OT (and starting guard) once Harrison returns from suspension. Sedrick Flowers held off Taylor Doyle and true freshman Elijah Rodriquez impressed enough to get a depth chart slotting at OT. What a great late steal. Wickline has hopes (and perhaps longer term plans) for Darius James at OT, but it's OG for now.
No other surprises. We know Gray and Brown are co-starters and David Ash is the man.
DEFENSE
STRONG END
NO PLAYER CL HT WT
88 Cedric Reed** (19)_______________ Sr.____ 6-5 ____ 272
91 Bryce Cottrell* (cuh-TRELL) _____ So.+ ___ 6-2 ____ 247
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
90 Malcom Brown** (13) ____________ Jr.____ 6-2 ____ 320
98 Hassan Ridgeway* ______________ So.+ ___ 6-4 ____ 307
93 Paul Boyette Jr. (boy-EHT) _______ So.+ ___ 6-2 ____ 302
DEFENSIVE TACKLE (Nose)
99 Desmond Jackson*** (13) _________ Sr.____ 6-0 ____ 298
94 Alex Norman___________________ So.+ ___ 6-4 ____ 288
97 Chris Nelson ___________________Fr.-HS __ 6-1 ____ 307
95 Poona Ford ____________________Fr.-HS __5-11____ 280
FOX END
1 Shiro Davis** (SHY-ro)___________ Jr.____ 6-3 ____ 253
42 Caleb Bluiett* (1) (BLU-eht) ______ So.+ ___ 6-3 ____ 261
STRONGSIDE LINEBACKER
19 Peter Jinkens** (9) _______________ Jr.____ 6-1 ____ 237
11 Tevin Jackson*** (2) _____________ Sr.____ 6-2 ____ 245
40 Naashon Hughes ________________Fr.-RS __ 6-4 ____ 232
MIDDLE LINEBACKER
33 Steve Edmond*** (22) ____________ Sr.____ 6-2 ____ 258
55 Dalton Santos** (8) ______________ Jr.____ 6-3 ____ 252
WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER
3 Jordan Hicks*** (15) _____________Sr.+ ___ 6-1 ____ 234
7 Demarco Cobbs** (6)_____________Sr.+ ___ 6-0 ____ 221
30 Timothy Cole* (1) ______________ So.+ ___ 6-1 ____ 236
CORNERBACK
6 Quandre Diggs*** (36) (KWAN-dray)_ Sr.____5-10____ 195
16 Jermaine Roberts Jr. _____________Fr.-HS __ 5-9 ____ 171
25 Antwuan Davis (AN-twahn)_______Fr.-RS __5-11____ 193
FREE SAFETY
2 Mykkele Thompson*** (18) (MY-kell)_ Sr.____ 6-2 ____ 191
26 Adrian Colbert* (COLE-burt) _____ So.+ ___ 6-1 ____ 206
18 Kevin Vaccaro* (vah-CAR-oh)_ ___ So.+ ___5-11____ 188
STRONG SAFETY
31 Jason Hall _____________________Fr.-HS __ 6-2 ____ 207
44 Dylan Haines___________________ So.+ ___ 6-1 ____ 194
CORNERBACK
21 Duke Thomas** (10) _____________ Jr.____5-11____ 178
15 Bryson Echols*__________________ So. ___5-10____ 184
24 John Bonney ___________________Fr.-HS __5-10____ 181
NICKEL
2 Mykkele Thompson*** (18) (MY-kell)_ Sr.____ 6-2 ____ 191
6 Quandre Diggs*** (36) (KWAN-dray)_ Sr.____5-10____ 195
PUNTER
4 William Russ ____________________ Sr.+ __ 6-3 ____ 206
35 Michael Davidson ________________ Sr.+ __ 6-4 ____ 200
No surprises in the front 4. I love our two deep there. Watch Shiro and Caleb's battle at DE with interest. Cottrell is a little light, but he's a natural pass rusher. Poona Ford is finally listed at his proper height and weight.
No surprises at starting LB, though Demarco Cobbs is lurking behind Hicks after having had an excellent camp and Tevin Jackson revived to back up Jinkens at SLB. Credit that to his blitzing ability. We may have some packages for him.
Little Jermaine Roberts is backing up Quandre Diggs at cornerback. Shocking. I wonder if Echols is the true CB #3 for both sides. Sheroid Evans returning would be nice.
Surprising freshman Jason Hall gets the nod over Dylan Haines. Expect both to play. Really eager to see young Jason get after it.
Duke Thomas has secured the other cornerback role and the slotting behind him is no surprise.
Our nickel look is going to be very interesting, as the listing of Thompson #1 and Diggs #2 at nickel suggests that we'll have big (3 safeties, 2 corners) and small (2 safeties, 3 corners) versions of each.
Punt Return - Diggs and Shipley. Shipley is better at it, but we'll see how much the coaches want to risk him.
Kickoff Return - Marcus Johnson and Duke Thomas.
Nick Rose will handle kickoffs and Nate Boyer is your deep snapper.
What do you think?
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