Texas Football: 3 seniors the Longhorns should want back in 2022

Anthony Cook, DB

Among the pleasant surprises for the Longhorns on the defensive side of the ball this season, senior defensive back Anthony Cook has finally found a niche for himself with this team. Cook was moved around to every different position group in the secondary it seemed for the Longhorns in his prior three years playing for Texas.

This season saw somewhat of a breakthrough for Cook too. He’s definitely having a career year for the Longhorns, which is not something that many of the players on the defensive side of the ball can say thus far.

While Cook is technically a senior, he could exercise his COVID-19 redshirt and return for the Longhorns for one more season. And it seems like the coaching staff would love to have him back given how well he’s fit the scheme under new co-defensive coordinators/linebackers coaches Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate.

Really the only major change that could push Cook to look elsewhere (either the transfer portal or NFL Draft in all likelihood) would be if Texas makes a change at defensive coordinator. After the embarrassing overtime loss at home at DKR last weekend to the Kansas Jayhawks, a lot of Longhorns fans were calling for Pete’s job.

If Kwiatkowski does return next season, though, Cook would likely be welcomed back as the projected starter at STAR position ahead of the likes of junior Chris Adimora and freshman Jerrin Thompson. Cook’s career season is something that this staff won’t forget when building out their projected two-deep on defense for the 2022 season.