3 Texas upperclassmen who could lose starting jobs in fall camp

Gavin Holmes, CB

The most notable position battle for the Longhorns entering training camp that involves multiple upperclassmen is at field corner.

Redshirt junior Gavin Holmes got the opportunity to snag the starting job at field corner after Terrance Brooks transferred from Texas to Illinois during the spring.

Holmes took over 300 defensive snaps as a rotational corner for Texas in the Big 12 last season. He also started two games after Brooks suffered a lower-body injury early in conference play.

In his second year at Texas after transferring from Wake Forest last year, Holmes will battle former San Jose State Spartans junior cornerback transfer Jay'Vion Cole for the starting reps at field corner in fall camp. Entering fall camp, Holmes is likely to start out practice getting the first-team reps at field corner, with Cole getting reps with the second-team defense.

Holmes had to adjust to playing a new role as a rotational corner at Texas after playing over 400 defensive snaps in each of his previous two years at Wake Forest. He settled into his new role on the two-deep at corner in the second half of Big 12 play, grading out as Texas's second-best defensive back in coverage in the final five games of the conference slate in 2023.

Inside Texas's Eric Nahlin said this summer that Holmes is one of the players Texas has who could put themselves onto the radars of NFL scouts this fall playing in the SEC.

Everything we've heard regarding Holmes' progress this offseason indicates that he only continues to get better and better playing at field corner for Texas in space and in pass coverage. At his current pace, it looks like Holmes is a good pick to be the starter at field corner for Week 1.

Expect Cole to still play a significant role early this season as a rotational corner for the Longhorns who can thrive in different scenarios in live-game action in coverage, since Cole graded out as one of the top three G5 corners in man coverage in 2023.

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