Texas Football: 3 biggest losers from spring ball for the Longhorns

Juan Davis, TE

One of the thinnest position groups depth-wise on either side of the ball coming out of spring camp for Sark and the Longhorns is tight end. Texas entered spring ball with only two tight ends on the roster that have legitimate live-game experience under their belt in juniors JT Sanders and Gunnar Helm.

And while it’s clear that Sark, tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Banks, and the Longhorns like their top duo at the tight end position heading into the fall (Helm and Sanders), I don’t think there’s much confidence in the depth behind those two.

Heading into the spring, it looked like rising junior tight end Juan Davis could be a player to watch for the Longhorns that helps to solidify a position that could potentially go three deep. The 6-foot-4 and 220-pound Davis is a capable receiver with plenty of speed and good hands. He’s also adept at running a multitude of short and intermediate routes, capable of burning unsuspecting linebackers and safeties in coverage.

However, the issue that has limited Davis’ upward mobility on the depth chart in each of the last two years is the inability to prove himself as a blocker. It sounds like Sark, Banks, and the Longhorns view Davis as more of a receiving threat only than someone that they can rely upon even in limited blocking schemes in two tight end sets on offense.

Davis had a shot to push for a bigger role heading into the spring but wasn’t able to make much noise compared to even some other former walk-ons at the position. We even saw former walk-on defensive end and converted tight end, Patrick Bayouth get more spring game reps at the position than Davis.