3 Texas players with something to prove in winter workouts

Hayden Conner, OG

Potentially the most interesting development of any position group on the two-deep depth chart in spring ball will be along the offensive line. Offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood will have a busy spring on his hands trying to configure what the two-deep depth chart will look like with a surge of talented incoming freshmen from the 2022 signing class.

And the haul of impressive offensive linemen on the recruiting trail might not even be over at this point for the Longhorns 2022 class. Five-star Bowie interior offensive lineman Devon Campbell could still be headed for the Forty Acres with a looming National Signing Day decision next week.

Moreover, this will put more pressure on the returning underclassmen on campus along the offensive line to move up the depth chart this year. This is especially true for returning redshirt freshmen and sophomores in 2022 that still have a ways to go in terms of their development. That is where redshirt freshman offensive guard Hayden Conner comes into the picture.

While Conner definitely has some potential to be a valuable contributor, likely at the left guard spot along the offensive line, he still needs some development before he’s ready to get regular starting reps.

Conner did add the size that the Longhorns were likely looking for out of him, at 6-foot-5 and 335-pounds, since last offseason. But Conner still needs to show the confidence and energy that he’s ready to get more reps next fall before incoming freshmen such as Campbell, Neto Umeozulu, Malik Agbo, etc., really challenge to take some reps away in the trenches.