4 Texas true freshmen impressing after 2 weeks of fall camp

Alex January, DL

Texas's defensive tackle position is in much better shape regarding its proven experience and overall depth than many of us in the media thought it would be at this stage around halfway through fall practice and entering the regular season. Texas did good work in the transfer portal, adding bodies and proven commodities at the defensive tackle position to improve the depth here entering the SEC this fall.

But it's not just the grad transfers who have stood out with their performances in fall practice and the first fall scrimmage last weekend in preseason camp. True freshmen defensive linemen Alex January and Melvin Hills have also turned heads with some good early reps in individual and team drills in the first couple of weeks of fall practice.

This has been a good situation for January to end up in early in preseason camp. He's not only getting to learn from some of the older and more experienced defensive tackles, including Jermayne Lole, Alfred Collins, and Vernon Broughton, but he's also getting a chance to contribute early in a role without too much pressure to succeed right away in the trenches entering the SEC.

In the first scrimmage of fall camp last weekend, January received reps with the first and second-team defensive fronts. He's shown to be ready to contribute among the young guys in the interior defensive line rotation who can take key early live-game reps for the Longhorns and Kenny Baker in the SEC this fall.

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