There are lofty expectations for the Texas Longhorns defense. With a new man in charge, the defense will be counted on to have more of an impact. Joseph Ossai, Caden Sterns, D’Shawn Jamison and Juwan Mitchell are all returning to help lead the defense. One of the returning defenders that isn’t receiving the same amount of fanfare is redshirt sophomore Keondre Coburn. He was recently listed as one of the best players that no one is talking about.
247Sports writer Brad Crawford on Keondre Coburn:
As a redshirt freshman last season, the game seemed to slow down for Coburn, who was efficient from the interior as a player who routinely disrupted what was happening in the backfield. One of Coburn’s top qualities was shifting where the play was going — even if he didn’t make the stop or qualify for a hurry. To say he’s a load at 6-2, 350 is an understatement and his best days appear to be ahead of him.
As the big man in the middle of the defense, the change in defensive philosophy could help Coburn’s productiveness. Last season Coburn accounted for 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He appeared in eight games in 2019 after playing in two games as a true freshman. The redshirt sophomore should make a bigger impact in the upcoming season.
A productive season could push Coburn towards the 2021 NFL Draft. Following the 2020 season he would be eligible for the draft since it would mark his third year following his high school graduation.