Musical Chairs: The toughest Texas position battle for 2024

Texas has two starting positions for three plus starters on defense.

The Texas edge rushing room is loaded in 2024. In fact, it’s so loaded that out of three potential all-conference talents one will start games on the bench.

The room starts with Barryn Sorrell who was the lone certainty at the position group an offseason ago. Sorrell led the Texas pass rush with 5.5 sacks in 2022 and was a good player for the team last season with four more sacks for the year.

Among other returning players is Ethan Burke who broke out early last season. Burke put up sacks against Rice and Alabama to start the year before finishing with 5.5 sacks of his own. Albeit, it’s his closing speed and ability to make the shoestring tackle on potential explosive runs that carves some of the most value from the edge position.

Then there’s the addition of Trey Moore who is being billed as perhaps the best player on the team by one source. While there’s some concern as to whether or not his 14 sack season and 22 career sacks at UTSA will transfer to major college football, reports from offseason workouts make one wonder if those concerns are valid.

We haven’t yet mentioned five-star freshman Colin Simmons who comes in looking to make an immediate impact. Justice Finkley, Colton Vasek, Tausili Akana and J’Mond Tapp are among the others looking to make a splash.

Texas has as difficult a decision in who to start at edge as it has anywhere else. That said, it won’t lack for quality depth in 2024. While it’s uncertain who will start at the position, expect heavy rotation and perhaps without much drop off from starter to backup.

Three Longhorns in top 16 picks of way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft

Texas could have three early first-round draft picks in 2025.

We’re still roughly two months away from the 2024 NFL draft, but it’s never too early for some to begin looking at prospects for next year. Continue reading “Three Longhorns in top 16 picks of way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft”

Texas Football: Six standouts from the Orange-White spring game

Several Longhorns made strong impressions on Saturday.

We were treated to our first glimpse of the 2023 Texas Longhorns in Saturday’s Orange-White spring game. Continue reading “Texas Football: Six standouts from the Orange-White spring game”

Five Longhorns to watch in Saturday’s spring game

Here are five Longhorns to keep an eye on in the spring game on Saturday.

Texas’ annual Orange-White spring game is set for Saturday afternoon at DKR. Fans will get their first glimpse at the 2023 Longhorns before the season opener against Rice in the fall.

It will be Texas’ 15th and final practice of a crucial spring in year three for the Steve Sarkisian era. Players have the chance to show off the strides they have taken to the public in a game-like environment.

Expectations are high for the Longhorns following an improved 2022 campaign. Texas is seen by many as the favorite in the Big 12 Conference and a potential College Football Playoff contender next season.

Texas returns a bulk of its production from a season ago with a talented group of newcomers arriving.

Aside from some of the proven commodities like Jaylan Ford and Xavier Worthy, here are five Longhorns to keep an eye on in the spring game on Saturday. These players could play a major role in Texas’s success this season.

Everything Steve Sarkisian said after Thrusday’s practice

Here is everything Sarkisian discussed on Thursday.

We are a little over a week until Texas takes the field against UL Monroe in the season opener on Sept. 3.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian updated the media about the progression of his team after practice on Thursday.

Sarkisian gave praise to multiple players in his presser. He mentioned quarterback Quinn Ewers, wide receiver Tarique Milton and defensive end Ethan Burke as guys who are developing well at this point in camp. Ewers won the starting job over Hudson Card last week and has taken the starting reps since.

The kicking battle between Will Stone and Brett Auburn will continue leading up to the start of the season. Sarkisian is going to make that decision on who will handle field goal and kickoff duties close to game day.

Texas’ weekend practice will consist of a “mock game” where players will go through the gameday routine as final preparations for the 2022 season.

Here is everything Sarkisian discussed on Thursday.

Michigan football 2022 edge rusher commit flips to Texas

Bummer.

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The tea leaves coming down the pike on Tuesday night appeared to be spot on.

On Dec. 1, Michigan got a commit from Ethan Burke, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound edge rusher who had been committed to Maryland for lacrosse. However, on Tuesday morning, the Austin (Tex.) Westlake prospect got a call from hometown Texas, as the Longhorns were finally offering him.

That spelled doom for the Wolverines, as there was a lot of consternation in recruiting circles about the maize and blue’s ability to hold on. Several flip picks came in via the predictors, and they turned out to be prescient. Burke flipped to Texas on early signing day, leaving Michigan football without its under the radar pledge.

We’ll see if the Wolverines try to make up for the loss of Burke on the trail with any pledges who didn’t sign on the dotted line in the early signing period. One such pledge is actually committed to Michigan in Kevonte Henry, from Southern California. Henry was heavily recruited by former director of player personnel Courtney Morgan, who took the same job at Washington after the Huskies hired his former boss, Kalen DeBoer. Henry announced on Tuesday that he will not be signing with the Wolverines during the early signing period.

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Texas receives two crystal balls for Michigan commit Ethan Burke

Texas is looking to poach a 6-foot-7 defensive lineman from Michigan.

Jim Harbaugh and his staff may be having some reoccurring nightmares anytime now.

After stealing Xavier Worthy from Michigan last season, Steve Sarkisian seems to be poaching someone else from the Wolverines once again.

Texas received two 247Sports crystal ball predictions for three-star edge rusher Ethan Burke. The Austin native plays at Westlake High School, where he and his team are set to compete for a state title this week.

Burke is a massive player that the Longhorns clearly see potential in, and want to add to their already loaded class of defensive linemen. Texas holds seven commits across the defensive line, which means Burke would be their eighth of the class unless they lose or add someone else.

Burke stands in at a towering 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds. Texas was in on Burke extremely late, which is not surprising as not only does he only have eight offers in total, but the Longhorns have been forming connections with other recruits ahead of the early signing period.

He has flown under the radar it seems, as besides Michigan, he holds offers from schools like Army, Air Force, Baylor, Air Force and Nebraska.

It is evident that the staff wants to add way more depth and size across both sides of the line, as those position groups struggled mightily last season, and Burke is looking like he could be the latest addition.

All indications that Michigan football will lose EDGE commit

Not ideal.

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Recruiting is a heckuva thing. If you’re a spectating enthusiast, it’s all fun when they’re putting pen to paper. However, in the lead up to signing day, lots of crazy things can happen.

Such appears to be the case for one of Michigan football’s most recent pledges.

2022 Austin (Tex.) Westlake three-star edge rusher Ethan Burke committed to the Wolverines just a few weeks ago, having pledged on Dec. 1. Rated a four-star recruit according to On3’s proprietary rankings, Burke got an offer from hometown Texas on Tuesday morning. It appears that might be too good to pass up, as there are four flip predictions on On3 and two on 247Sports.

Add that in with uncertainty surrounding Kevonte Henry, who announced on Tuesday that he will not be signing in the early period, and On3’s sudden reversal that Deone Walker will commit to and sign with Kentucky instead of Michigan, and the defensive line recruiting is taking a quick and sudden hit.

As always, stay tuned, as early signing day looks like it will have some fireworks, both for better and for worse.

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Michigan adds 2022 three-star edge rusher

The momentum continues!

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In the afterglow of the win over Ohio State, Michigan football added its second 2023 commitment, but there are still some spots open in 2022.

Though the Wolverines are focusing all their efforts on players such as Clemson commit Keon Sabb, Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech lineman Deone Walker, Seattle (Wash.) Rainer Beach five-star offensive lineman Josh Conerly, and Concord (Calif.) De La Salle safety Zeke Berry, things have been heating up of late with Austin (Tex.) Westlake three-star edge rusher Ethan Burke.

Burke has been committed to Maryland for lacrosse, and at 6-foot-7, 225-pounds, he’s rated the No. 42 defensive end in 2022, according to 247Sports. He has offers from Army, Nebraska, Baylor, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Air Force, and Utah. But he chose to end his recruitment on Wednesday when he committed to Michigan football.

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Burke officially visited Ann Arbor for the 42-27 win over Ohio State. He’s Michigan’s 19th commitment in the 2022 class. Naturally he’ll have to add a lot of size, but with that huge frame, if he can keep his speed, he could be a big time player for the Wolverines.

Watch his highlights below:

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