4 Texas underclassmen who can redshirt under 4-game rule
Xavier Filsaime, S
Due to a combination of injury issues and development reasons, true freshman safety Xavier Filsaime has only played two games for the Longhorns so far this regular season. Filsaime could still play two games for the remainder of the regular season for the Longhorns and preserve his redshirt.
If he develops and proves himself in practice with Texas's defensive backfield, Filsaime could theoretically see the field during the postseason, since the NCAA won't count postseason games played toward the four-game redshirt rule.
Filsaime's debut for his collegiate career came in Texas's regular season opener on Aug. 31 at home against the Colorado State Rams. He took just over a dozen defensive snaps when the Longhorns were up big in the second half in the 52-0 shutout victory against Colorado State in Week 1.
The only other game Filsaime has seen live-game action this season was in Week 4 in Texas's win over the UL-Monroe Warhawks at home. Filsaime took seven defensive snaps in Texas's 51-3 win over ULM on Sep. 21.
There is a benefit to Filsaime taking a redshirt this season for the future of Texas's secondary. Texas loses many key pieces in the secondary due to exhausted eligibility after this season. Senior defensive backs Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba are two key starters the Longhorns will lose for that level of the defense to the NFL Draft next spring.
That will leave at least one spot in the safety rotation for younger players, like Filsaime and fellow true freshman Jordon Johnson-Rubell, to win reps at next year in camp. Competition will be a good thing for Texas to fill that starting safety spot alongside Derek Williams Jr. and Michael Taaffe.
Filsaime has all the talent in the world to become a rangy and all-conference-caliber safety in the SEC in the future. If he develops well under guys like Mukuba, Barron, and Williams in Texas's secondary, he should challenge for starting reps possibly as soon as next fall camp in 2025.