3 Texas underclassmen pushing for starting jobs in fall camp

Jelani McDonald, S

Sophomore Jelani McDonald is one of the most athletic and physical players in Texas's safety room entering the fall. Last year, McDonald was named to 247Sports "Freaks List", which includes 50 of the "freakiest" athletes among top recruits in college football.

McDonald does almost everything well from a physicality and athleticism standpoint. He has all the tools necessary to be a very versatile and rangy chess piece that Pete Kwiatkowski can utilize in different ways and move around in the defensive backfield and the box in live-game situations.

He even came up with a nice pick at the end of Texas's spring game back in April on one of the final plays of the fourth quarter.

McDonald should be in a better spot to earn more live-game reps this fall. He spent last year learning the ropes playing exclusively in the defensive backfield (while cross-training at different positions in the secondary in camp and practice).

And now that McDonald looks to be more settled into his role and more comfortable in the secondary, he's a candidate to make a push to break into Texas's safety rotation this fall.

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