3 possible position changes for Texas in fall camp

Jahdae Barron

Current position: Star

Possible switch: CB*

The idea of playing senior defensive back Jahdae Barron at spots other than nickelback in the secondary for the upcoming season has been tossed around since spring ball.

Barron has played as more of a traditional cornerback in pass coverage for the Longhorns when Texas needed him to slide over in live-game action throughout his career in the last few years. He also cross trained at corner, safety, and the star position during spring ball and in 7-on-7 work in pass coverage during the summer this offseason.

Why I think it is almost a given at this point of the offseason that Barron is going to be playing more snaps at corner and safety during this regular season is the distribution of practice reps at star this week in camp. Junior Jaylon Guilbeau has taken the first-team practice reps at the star position in the first two practices in camp this week.

Inside Texas reported on July 31 that Guilbeau was consistently taking the first-team practice reps at star on Wednesday while Barron and freshman Wardell Mack were also cross-training there in the secondary.

Guilbeau being fully healthy and up to speed in the secondary gives Pete Kwiatkowski and the Longhorns defensive staff more flexibility to use Barron in other areas in the secondary this fall. I think he can really provide a lot of value with his experience and one-on-one ability in man coverage at field corner.

Texas has an open competition for the starting field corner job this fall camp, between redshirt junior Gavin Holmes and San Jose State junior transfer Jay'Vion Cole. If Texas can rotate Barron in at field corner during the regular season along with Cole and Holmes in different situations in games, that would really benefit the different matchups and coverage looks PK could utilize.

Barron is just too good and proven contesting space and in pass coverage for PK and the Longhorns to keep him off the field for too many defensive snaps this fall.

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