2022 Texas Longhorns Position Outlook: Cornerback

Texas entered the 2021 season with many of the same names at cornerback as the previous year, with McNeese State transfer Darion Dunn as the main exception. His addition to a room that included D’Shawn Jamison and Josh Thompson led a lot of Texas fans to believe that trio would be one of the strengths of the team considering their athleticism and experience.

[Get a FREE 7-day trial of Inside Texas Plus!]

In reality, that group failed to produce whether factoring statistics or not. Longhorn cornerbacks produced only two interceptions and eight passes defended in 12 games last year, and were responsible for many of the defensive lapses throughout the course of the season. Some of that had to do with not being put in great positions by the scheme, but some of the same ball-tracking issues that plagued the 2021 Longhorns have been an issue for defensive back groups going back several years.

Jamison is the only one of that trio to return for 2022. In looking for immediate help and competition at cornerback Texas found it via both the transfer portal and the high school ranks thanks to two natives of Little Elm, Texas.

Ryan Watts, originally an Ohio State Buckeye, transferred to Texas and enrolled in time for the spring semester. Terrance Brooks, a five-star prospect per On3 and at one point an Ohio State commit, flipped to the Longhorns during the early signing window.

Of course, Steve Sarkisian and Terry Joseph sought to develop the players who were already on the roster as well, and junior Jahdae Barron appears to be the best evidence of that development. Despite Watts and Brooks competing in the spring, Barron was running with the first team opposite of Jamison for many of the 15 practices while Texas was in base defense.

Jamier Johnson is in his second year of the program and is just behind that top group in terms of accumulating snaps.

Two members of the cornerback room, Ishmael Ibraheem and Jaylon Guilbeau, are currently suspended as a result of legal issues, with Ibraheem also rehabilitating a knee injury suffered early in the 2021 season.

Xavion Brice comes to Texas as an “athlete” but will likely start out on the defensive side of the ball. His developmental track may take a few years to reach as opposed to a few months, but some of his athletic exploits during the current track season show he has traits that would play well at corner.

Jamison is the only player of the group who will exhaust his eligibility after the upcoming season.

Like much of the rest of the defense, the cornerbacks have plenty to prove in their second year in the current system. There is a combination of talent and experience in the group, but that combination has yet to lead to the type of production expected.

2022 cornerbacks

Departures: Josh Thompson (professional opportunities), Darion Dunn (professional opportunities)

Returners: D’Shawn Jamison, Jahdae Barron, Jamier Johnson, Ishmael Ibraheem

Newcomers: Ryan Watts (Ohio State), Terrance Brooks (early enrollee), Jaylon Guilbeau (early enrollee)

Recruiting class: Xavion Brice

Position Outlook

There is little doubt that the cornerback position at a school that terms itself DBU must produce more than two interceptions throughout the course of a 12-game season. Of course, the entire secondary needs to improve upon their seven interception season, which was ninth in the Big 12 and 104th in the country.

Jamison, now in his fifth year in a Longhorn uniform, will have one more season’s worth of opportunity in order to show his explosive physical traits can pair with technical ability. He intercepted several passes throughout practices and scrimmages, returning some of them for touchdowns.

The intrigue comes at the other cornerback spot . It’s Barron’s spot when Texas is in base defense with just two corners and two safeties on the field. When he moves to STAR, that’s when Watts seems to have a hold on the spot with Brooks just behind him.

Joseph, Sarkisian, and Pete Kwiatkowski did not rotate as much on defense as their predecessors, utilizing the top two at the position for a majority of the snaps. Still, it’s a position where those coaches would want more than just two they feel comfortable with putting on the field against FBS and Power 5 opponents.

Texas not only needs to improve in pass defense, but also in just pure tackling ability. Despite signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, that’s a facet that Thompson lacked for much of his 2021 season.

Physical corners with long wingspans like Watts and Brooks

can help here. What they lack in physical stature, Jamison and Barron make up for in want-to.

Ibraheem and Guilbeau are in a tough spot due to their poor decisions and ensuing punishments. Ibraheem remains away from the team and did not participate in practice, while Guilbeau only participated in a handful of spring drills before his suspension. Their off-field problems could stunt their chances at on-field production.

Brice likely will develop this year and utilize a redshirt unless he sees time on special teams.

All in all, the group needs to be more productive to assist in improving the Texas defense, both in things that can be measured statistically and things that cannot.