Texas Football: DJ Campbell takes first-team OL practice reps today

Among the biggest position battles to watch for Texas football in fall practice lies along the interior offensive line. Center and right guard are the two contested spots along the interior offensive line in fall camp.

Offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood is trying to find the best five-man combination along the O-Line to compete in the trenches at a high level in the Big 12 this season. And one of the most integral candidates in the running for one of the starting spots along the interior offensive line this fall is the former top-ranked IOL recruit in the nation in the 2022 class, sophomore guard DJ Campbell.

Campbell and fellow sophomore interior offensive lineman Cole Hutson are competing for the starting job at right guard.

Texas football IOL DJ Campbell takes first-team reps at RG for the first time in fall practice on Aug. 7

In the first week of fall practice, Hutson took the first-team practice reps at right guard, with Campbell taking the second-team reps behind him. Hutson also continued cross-training at center in fall practice last week. He’s also competing with senior Jake Majors and sophomore Connor Robertson for the starting job at center heading into Week 1 on Sep. 2 against the Rice Owls.

There was a change in the offensive line depth chart for Flood and the Longhorns on Aug. 7. Orangebloods reported on Aug. 7 (subscriber content) that Campbell took the first-team reps at right guard in practice today ahead of Hutson.

This is a major development in one of the most significant position battles for the Longhorns in fall camp. We’ve said on the site throughout the summer that Campbell will be given every opportunity to grab hold of the starting spot at right guard this fall.

He just needed to put all the pieces together and show an improved understanding of the blocking schemes in fall practice. And it sounds like it’s starting to come together for Campbell with his ascension up the IOL depth chart this early in training camp (mind you, we’re only five practices in as of Aug. 7).

Campbell standing out physically early in fall camp

Campbell came out of the gates hot in fall practice, showing off his improved size and physicality coming out of summer workouts. He looked more powerful in individual and team drills in the first few fall practices.