Texas Football: 3 reasons the Longhorns will decimate Kansas

Rising players on defense ready to step up down the stretch

Three of the least talked about players on the defensive side of the ball at this point of the season for the Longhorns and new co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Pete Kwiatkowski are also who could step up down the stretch for him. This trio of rising defensive players for the Longhorns includes sophomore linebacker Jaylan Ford, sophomore cornerback Jahdae Barron, and freshman defensive lineman Byron Murphy II.

Each of these three defensive players for the Longhorns have contributed value in their own right throughout the Big 12 slate. Ford had a true breakthrough game in that tough loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys a few weeks ago. He should once again get a chance to prove himself against Kansas this weekend.

Barron might be the most potent of these three in the Texas defense. He’s registered a double-digit number of combined tackles, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and no passing touchdowns against.

There was really only one mistake that Barron made so far this season on a missed tackle on a curl route against Iowa State last weekend. All told, he was one of the more efficient corners for the Longhorns so far this season.

The last of this group that should be able to shine in the brightened spotlight this weekend against Kansas is Murphy. I will say that both Murphy and sophomore defensive end Alfred Collins were really good for the Longhorns compared to the rest of this defensive front in the last few games. Murphy was one of the three highest-graded defensive players for the Longhorns last weekend.

He also has one of the three best tackling grades for Texas on the season.

Murphy has registered more than a dozen combined tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, five total quarterback pressures, and only one missed tackle this fall.