If there is one word to describe the safety position for Texas this season, it would be loaded. Based on high school rankings alone, the Longhorns have four blue-chip players in 247Sports’ latest two-deep depth chart.
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Here is how the safeties line up going into the season opener against UTEP on Sept. 12.
| Free safety | Strong Safety |
| Caden Sterns | Chris Brown |
| Montrell Estell/Tyler Owens | B.J. Foster |
Sterns and Brown have run first-team all camp. It seems at this point that they’re a lock. Sterns, when healthy, is an All-American-type player. He showed that as a freshman. Brown, in addition to being one of the most physical players on the team, is also one of the best leaders on defense.
Pretty incredible that we’re talking about Foster as a backup. Talk about quality depth. Estell has had a better camp than Owens, who is still thinking too much, according to sources.
“The game has slowed down for Estell,” one team source. “The game needs to slow down for Owens.”
Safety Jerrin Thompson was the first freshman to have his rookie stripe taken off. I’m told the kid has just done everything right in terms of work ethic and attitude.
There is no doubt that Caden Sterns is going to be the best safety for Chris Ash’s defense. As 247Sports says, when he healthy, Sterns is an All-American type player. His struggles last season came down to injuries and missed important games such as Oklahoma and TCU.
Chris Brown at strong safety is a real surprise, considering B.J. Foster started in eight of the nine games he participated in. Listed at 5-11 and 187 pounds, Brown is going into his fifth year in Austin and is a redshirt senior.
To play strong safety, you have to be a physical presence, especially down in the box. 247Sports is reporting that Brown has been exactly that.
Foster is more than capable of starting for Texas at strong safety. If Brown is emerging as the partner to Sterns, it shows how strong of competition and how good of a roster the Longhorns have complied.
Moving to the backups and it seems as Montrell Estell and Tyler Owens are still fighting it out for the backup free safety spot. Whoever wins, it will take a lot to get Sterns off the field.
Both Estell and Owens played in all 13 games last season.
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