Texas Football: 4 most disappointing Longhorns through 4 games

3) Most disappointing Texas football players: Juwan Mitchell

If there’s any one position group on either side of the ball for the Longhorns that Herman and his staff needs to step up across the board, it’s with the linebackers. Texas is very thin at linebacker, especially with all of the injury troubles hampering them at the position over the course of the last two years. Redshirt sophomore Ayodele Adeoye, junior DeMarvion Overshown, and junior Juwan Mitchell have each dealt with their fair share of injuries this fall already.

The last of those three Texas linebackers is having a hard to finding any rhythm and traction for this level of the defense this fall. Mitchell was the nation’s top JUCO inside linebacker prospect for the 2019 recruiting cycle, but he hasn’t consistently come through for the Longhorns yet. So far this season, he’s provided this defense mixed results in three games played.

Mitchell has registered 17 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery in those three games played this fall. But his numbers from last year were much better. He registered 37 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and four pass deflections, in his first year on the Forty Acres.

The defensive grades for Mitchell were pretty awful so far this season. He is the lowest graded Longhorns defensive player this season that has been on the field for more than 100 snaps. He’s only generated two quarterback pressures on 11 blitzing plays, and missed five tackles on less than 20 attempts.

Not to mention he’s getting burned in the passing game. Mitchell has allowed eight receptions on 10 passing attempts against him in coverage, for more than 110 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. All of that came with just one pass breakup.