Texas Football: 10 Key Longhorn Seniors
Nov 28, 2013; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Dalton Santos (55) tackles Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas beat Texas Tech 41-16. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
- Dalton Santos
Fans will be watching Jefferson and Freeman as the duo represent the future at linebacker. These guys are explosive and exciting to watch.
Lost in this excitement is the fact that the depth and experience at linebacker is not there. Santos bring this. He isn’t flashy or fast like the younger guys. Santos covering tight ends and running backs is a clear mismatch in favor of the offense.
Santos brings a game-savvy presence to the huddle. If he plays the role that Steve Edmond did last year, it will allow Jefferson and Freeman to play outside and use their speed to get to the ball carrier. Edmond’s solid play inside allowed Jordan Hicks to swallow up running backs and disrupt passing lanes. Staying healthy will be important. If he goes down the defense gets green quickly.