Tag: Steve Edmond

Texas Longhorns Team of the Decade: Defense and Special Teams

The breakdown of the defense and special teams Texas Longhorns of the decade.

As Longhorns Wire continues their team of the decade, the defense and special teams are up next. Much like the offense recap, each position group will have links to the original post.

Defensive Line

Alex Okafor

Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Okafor played for the Longhorns in the early part of the decade from 2009-12. During that time he recorded 23 sacks, 34 tackles for loss and 150 total tackles. He added seven forced fumbles. Okafor is currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jackson Jeffcoat

Jeffcoat is the son of former NFL chamption Jim Jeffcoat. He played on the defense along with Okafor. During his four-year college career from 2010-2013, Jeffcoat recorded 172 total tackles with 26 sacks and five turnovers forced. He was an All-American in 2013 when he was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Jeffcoat is currently playing in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Poona Ford

The man in the middle of the defense, Ford played in Austin from 2014-2017. During that time he recorded 133 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also forced three fumbles. He was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2017. Ford is currently one of a few Longhorns with the Seattle Seahawks.

Charles Omenihu

Omenihu is the final member of the defensive line. From 2015-2018, Omenihu racked up 115 total tackles, 30 TFL and 16.5 sacks. He forced four fumbles during that four-year span. Omenihu was named All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2018. He is currently a member of the Houston Texans.

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Texas Longhorns Team of the Decade: Linebackers

Even though they haven’t been as good as the past, Texas has still had some great LBs to come through the program throughout the 2010s.

Even though the unit has not been as good for the Longhorns as it has in the past, Texas has still had some great linebackers to come through the program this decade. Jordan Hicks, Steve Edmond, and Malik Jefferson all were able to make it to the NFL after their time in Austin.

Hicks and Edmond were on the field together for three years, starting in 2013. Getting a fifth year of eligibility after picking up an ankle injury in the 2013 season, Hicks played amazing in his final year for the Longhorns. Leading the team in tackles with 116, Steve Edmond was the only player to come close to his tackle numbers that season.

Declaring for the NFL after his junior year, Edmond also had a monster 2014 season for Texas. Finishing with four fewer tackles than Hicks, he had 112 on the season. His best career game came against Baylor that season, he had 17 tackles and had two of his 8.5 career sacks that night.

Finally, Malik Jefferson was the best linebacker to play for the Longhorns throughout the decade. Playing in the final two seasons of Charlie Strong and in the first year of Tom Herman, Jefferson was solid throughout his entire career. While he did not have the most total tackles of the three, he had the most solo tackles and was getting All-Big 12 awards throughout his three seasons on the 40 acres.

Here are your Texas linebackers of the decade:

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