Projecting Texas football’s 2-deep defensive depth chart Week 1 vs. ULM

Texas football is readying up for the first week of game preparation, which looks to be starting this weekend ahead of the regular season opener in eight days. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff will be going through game walkthroughs in place of a final fall scrimmage on Aug. 27, which looks to really kick off the process of preparation for the opener next weekend.

It won’t be long before we receive the first two-deep depth chart ahead of the regular season opener for the Longhorns. On Aug. 29, we should see Sark and the Longhorns release the first depth chart for the opener on Sep. 3 at home against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

Moreover, earlier this week, we previewed what the offensive two-deep depth chart could look like for the Longhorns for the opener against ULM next weekend. It’s now time for us to look at how the two-deep defensive depth chart could shape up for the opener.

There probably won’t be as many underclassmen on the two-deep for the Longhorns on the defensive side of the ball as on the offense. But there could still be some freshmen that sneak on the two-deep for the opener.

Predicting Texas football’s two-deep defensive depth chart for the opener

Here’s a look at a projection of the two-deep defensive depth chart for Texas for the opener against ULM on Sep. 3.

Interior defensive line

Nose tackle

Starter: Byron Murphy

Backup: Keondre Coburn OR T’Vondre Sweat

One of the defensive players for the Longhorns that the fans want to see make a big impact on this front seven this fall is the former blue-chip recruit and sophomore nose tackle Byron Murphy. As maybe the biggest riser along the defensive front in fall camp this year, Murphy clearly has his stock trending up a little more than one week from the start of the regular season.

Murphy should be a more productive playmaker than the Longhorns had to anchor the defensive line last season. That’s why he deserves starting reps ahead of the senior NT duo of Keondre Coburn and T’Vondre Sweat. But I still anticipate that Coburn and Sweat will get plenty of reps along the defensive line this season given their proven experience.

Defensive tackle

Starter: Moro Ojomo

Backup: Vernon Broughton OR Alfred Collins

Defensive tackle is going to be one of the more interesting position groups to watch play out early on during the regular season. Texas doesn’t really have a proven starter to rely on at the position. That’s why I think that the starting job for the regular season opener is going to go to senior Moro Ojomo.

But the starting job could be up in the air for the rest of the non-conference slate, especially as junior defensive lineman Alfred Collins recovers from the injury he suffered during camp.

Maybe the most likely starter by the start of Big 12 play at the defensive tackle position is another big riser in fall camp in sophomore Vernon Broughton. Watch out for him to be the starter at least by the end of the regular season.