Texas Football: 10 Longhorns Who Will Turn Program Around in 2016
By Tyler Brett
5. Davante Davis, CB
Texas is known as DBU for a reason and Davante Davis is carrying on the tradition. The sophomore is developing into a true shutdown corner for the Horns and will be a huge piece of their pass defense in 2016.
As a freshman in 2015, Davis developed into a reliable defender on the edge. He finished the year with 35 tackles, one interception, and a team-high seven pass breakups. At 6-foot-2 and right around 200 pounds, Davis is long, strong, and fast, which is an ideal combination for a shut down corner.
Last year, the Texas defense as a whole struggled, allowing over 450 yards per game. Against the pass, however, the Horns played pretty tough, ranking No. 3 in the Big 12, allowing an average of 233.4 yards per game through the air and giving up the fourth fewest passing touchdowns (24) in the conference. In a pass-happy league like the Big 12, the Horns’ pass defense was good enough to win some games.
But they can be better in 2016 and Davis is a major reason why. His ability to disrupt, run with, and beat out receivers for jump balls means that opposing teams are going to struggle to get their top receivers into the flow of their offense. Taking away opponents’ biggest weapon gives Texas that much more opportunity to win this fall.
Next: 4. Kent Perkins, RG