3 Texas players losing position battles halfway through camp

Sydir Mitchell, DL

The confidence in the depth and talent at the defensive tackle position in the second half of preseason camp is much higher than many of us thought it would be way back during spring ball. Texas has depth and proven experience that goes three units deep in the rotation along the interior defensive line for Kenny Baker this fall camp.

Texas has good experience and quality at defensive tackle largely thanks to the presence of three grad transfers along the interior defensive line who can provide depth in quality defensive snaps in live-game action in the SEC this coming season.

One of the younger defensive tackles for the Longhorns who is still battling for more reps with the first and second-team defensive units late in fall practice is redshirt freshman Sydir Mitchell. Texas's biggest human at nose tackle along the interior defensive line this fall hasn't had his name pop up in various practice reports and press conferences as much as we would've otherwise hoped in the last few weeks of fall practice.

Mitchell's consistency and conditioning he's showing in team drills and the last two scrimmages in fall camp aren't at the level the Texas coaches expected for them to be at by this time in practice in the fall in his second year in college. Mitchell is still limited with his effectiveness in larger snap counts in simulated live-game action and team drills.

Something positive I have taken away from Mitchell's second fall camp with the Longhorns' defensive line group is that he is at least in slightly better shape and has better fundamentals than he did at the same time last year. Only time will tell how those slight improvements in Mitchell's development along the interior defensive line have regarding his on-the-field impact for Baker's group this fall.