IT Roundtable: Which Longhorn from the past would you add to the 2023 roster?
Texas has one of the strongest rosters in the country ahead of the 2023 season, one that former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer described as possibly the best in all of college football.
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Even with a few high-ranking recruiting classes and notable portal additions, there are some positions where one more gamebreaker would put Texas at a different level.
The Inside Texas staff considered the following question: which player from years past would you add to the 2023 roster? There was one caveat in that Vince Young, Colt McCoy, Bobby Layne, Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, and Tommy Nobis could not be selected.
Eric Nahlin – The first thing you look at is greatest need. Positions that qualify, in my opinion, are guard, Will linebacker, Buck outside linebacker, and perhaps safety. Given the tradition of Texas football, that gives you a lot of very strong options. Surprisingly Derrick Johnson’s number hasn’t been retired yet. That’s a tantalizing option given his incredible ability, but I think Buck is the greatest need and therefore I’m going with Brian Orakpo. Truth be told, I’d be nearly as happy with Joseph Ossai but Orakpo had a little more steam off the edge as a pass rusher and that’s what the 2023 Longhorn defense needs.
Justin Wells – Jamaal Charles. This team might be a game-breaking running back away from the College Football Playoff.
Ian Boyd – Sam Ehlinger. If you could be assured of elite decision-making at the quarterback position then this 2023 Texas Longhorn roster would be the National Championship frontrunner. His running skill would be a huge boost in big games while the decrease of his run game workload in other contests would likely result in a more consistently accurate passer than we saw in the Tom Herman era.
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Joe Cook – My choices whittled down to premium pass-rusher or top-flight running back. While the idea of Bijan Robinson running it back with this team was tantalizing, I’m going with defense and addressing Buck with Sergio Kindle. I think his versatility and athleticism would play well within Pete Kwiatkowski‘s system and provide something that position lacks at the current juncture.
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Bobby Burton – Of players in the last 20 years, I’d take Sergio Kindle or Brian Robison probably, just slightly over Brian Orakpo. The Horns need a pass rush and someone who can still set the edge. I think Kindle would have fit this defense and what it lacks to a T even if Orakpo might have been the better overall player.
Gerry Hamilton – Derrick Johnson, far and away. He’s the ultimate playmaker that would be a true dominant force in the college game today, just as he was when winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. His senior season stats at Texas would likely be comparable to what he would do on this Texas team with more sacks – 130 tackles (73 solo), 19 TFLs, 10 pressures, eight PBUs, nine caused fumbles (T-1 on NCAA single-season list), two sacks and a blocked extra point. Johnson and Jaylan Ford would be a nightmare for the opponent.
Paul Wadlington – There are no wrong answers here: Casey Hampton, Earl Thomas, Brian Orakpo and Jamaal Charles all leap to mind as players who would cement this 2023 team, but I have to give a shout out to Tony Brackens. One of most gifted natural football players to ever put on a Texas uniform, Brackens also had a fantastic work ethic and stunning play strength and quickness, routinely shocking 310 pound offensive tackles with his hands and running down halfbacks on sweeps. Brackens was miscast late in his career as a 6-4, 250 pound 3-4 DE who often lined up inside the tackles, but he still dominated in all phases. Put Tony at his natural edge position on this defense and he’d terrorize modern spread offenses.
