Texas Football: 3 defensive standouts from the closed spring scrimmage

David Gbenda, LB

Speaking of upperclassmen that are rising for the Longhorns this spring, senior linebacker David Gbenda is definitely one of the most talked about players in camp. Gbenda has made more noise than just about any other linebacker in practice in the last couple of weeks.

A scrimmage report from Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas on April 1 (paid content) noted that Gbenda was one of the biggest standouts on either side of the ball for the Longhorns this weekend. Gbenda reportedly made better reads as a run defender and showed better pad leverage.

Hearing that Gbenda is showing out better as a run defender is the biggest sign of progress for the fifth-year linebacker. Gbenda was the lowest-graded run defender of any player for the Longhorns in two of his first three years on campus.

While we did start to see Gbenda find his way along the defensive front more so while playing at the will linebacker position, where his gifted physical tools could come to the forefront to help him chase down the ball carrier more effectively and lead hats to the football, there are still significant strides he had to make this spring.

The scrimmage report from IT’s Nahlin even mentioned that Gbenda looked as fast as the former All-Big 12 Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown at one point on April 1. If that is true, Texas is going to have a lot of depth and gifted playmakers at the will linebacker position this fall between Gbenda and true freshman Anthony Hill Jr.