Texas Football: 3 notable nuggets from the second spring practice
New and familiar faces stepping up along the defensive line
The depth along the defensive line is a topic that has come front and center this week, and not for all the right reasons. Texas and defensive line coach Bo Davis don’t have a ton of depth to boast along the defensive line this spring.
But the group that Davis and the Longhorns boast among the top group along the defensive line this spring is truly special. And a big reason for the first and second-team defensive linemen getting some hype early in spring ball is the rise of a couple of key players at the position.
Two defensive linemen that have stood out early in spring ball are redshirt junior Vernon Broughton and redshirt freshman Jaray Bledsoe.
Assuming that Bledsoe does wind up moving up to the interior defensive line for good this offseason, he could be an impact player to watch at the position heading into the fall.
And it sounds like Broughton continues to make strides as the time has come for him to really step up and make an impact on the defensive line during his fourth year on campus. A couple of practice reports this week from Joe Cook of Inside Texas (paid content) have mentioned Broughton in the top group of three or four defensive linemen in the practice rotation.
Broughton sounds like he’s added a little bit more muscle mass to his frame while improving his pad-level technique in one-on-one matchups in the trenches.
Meanwhile, despite Bledsoe apparently weighing in just below 270 pounds this offseason, he is starting to show that he can compete out of the three-technique while getting off the line really quickly.
I would also be drastically overlooking the play of the rest of the top group of defensive linemen if I didn’t mention the trio of junior Byron Murphy II, senior Alfred Collins, and redshirt senior T’Vondre Sweat. Murphy sounds like he continues to impress with his physical tools and strong base in drills.
It also sounds like Sweat and Collins are ready to take up the mantle of some of the two or three leaders along the defensive front in 2023.
All in all, while the depth isn’t too strong along the defensive line this spring, the first and second-teamers appear to be a solid group early in practice.