3 takeaways from Texas's first week of spring practice

The first week of spring practice has officially concluded for Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian. Texas began spring camp on March 18, with the first team workout taking place roughly 24 hours ahead of the first practice.

Wrap-up thoughts after Texas football's first week of spring practice

Sarkisian and the Longhorns then got out to the practice field for the first time this spring for drills on March 19. The adjusted schedule to keep up with the first big visit weekend of spring ball last weekend meant that the first week of spring practices moved up one day.

Texas put the full pads on for the first time this spring last weekend for the March 23 practice. Sarkisian and staff likes to get the team out in full contact drills in front of the visiting recruits to show the intensity in practice.

We've learned plenty about this team, especially considering we're only one week through spring practice. Here are three takeaways after the first week of spring practice concludes for the Longhorns.

Defensive front could be better even better as a group this fall

The EDGE position has been a force that has been highlighted multiple times early in spring camp for the Longhorns. The emergences of young edge rushers this spring, such as true freshman Zina Umeozulu, true freshman Colin Simmons, and redshirt freshman Colton Vasek, have drummed up a ton of excitement surrounding the direction for this group this year and well into the future.

Umeozulu and Simmons look fantastic for true freshman early enrollees at the EDGE position. And Vasek has been a positive surprise for the Longhorns, as he's gotten his body right and looked more forceful in one-on-one drills in the trenches this spring.

The defensive line has also had some positive developments in the first week of spring practice. True freshman defensive tackle Alex January has been the subject of much of the positive discussion in the last few days. Horns247 reported on March 27 (paid content) that January stood out in practice again on Wednesday morning.

January is clearly one of the underrated immediate impact true freshmen that the Longhorns signed in the 2024 class.

Outside of the pleasant surprises and the young players emerging along the defensive front, the veterans have looked good too early in spring ball. Seniors Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton have locked down the top of the depth chart at defensive tackle early this spring.

Veteran linebackers David Gbenda and Kendrick Blackshire have also made good impressions early in spring practice.