Texas Football: 2-deep offensive depth chart heading into fall camp
Left tackle
Starter: Kelvin Banks
Backup: Cam Williams
The two returning linemen with the most experience at offensive tackle for the Longhorns this fall are senior Christian Jones and sophomore Andrej Karic. But neither has proven capable enough to be a set-in-stone starter heading into fall camp this year. That will present some competition with the talented group of incoming freshman offensive linemen next month.
Moreover, the left tackle position has some interesting candidates to make it on the two-deep at the outset of fall camp. The favorite to win the starting spot here heading into the fall should be the former five-star Summer Creek recruit and true freshman offensive tackle Kelvin Banks.
Banks looks like the most ready-made offensive tackle from the 2022 signing class that should be able to at least help this line marginally improve in the upcoming season. The 6-foot-5 and 320-pound first-year offensive tackle already has the frame that Flood wants at the position and has made a positive impression on the staff so far this summer.
Backing up Banks could be any number of the other incoming freshmen offensive linemen or even someone like sophomore Jaylen Garth. But the towering 6-foot-7 and 375-pound freshman offensive tackle Cam Williams gets the edge as someone who could challenge for a starting spot by season’s end.
Right tackle
Starter: Andrej Karic
Backup: Christian Jones
Right tackle is the spot where we’ve slotted the two most experienced returning offensive tackles for Texas heading into fall camp. And either one of these two between Jones and Karic could realistically win a starting job with a solid showing in camp.
But the fact that there is still some real room to grow physically and mentally for Karic, combined with the overall ineffectiveness of Jones in pass protection last year, gives him the edge to win the starting job.
Karic posted a win rate in pass protection north of 97 percent in games he started through the back half of last season. Meanwhile, Jones posted a win rate below 95 percent during the same stretch last season in pass protection.
The wildcard factor here could be Karic’s struggles playing at right tackle compared to left last season. He was much more effective in pass protection at left tackle than right last year. Matchups likely played a role there, but that is something to watch as the depth chart starts to unfold this fall.
All in all, Karic is the option here with more upside, especially after he put on an additional five or 10 pounds with another offseason in this strength and conditioning program.