It's now or never for these Longhorns approaching the end of their eligibility - Part I

A number of Texas Longhorns football players on the 2024 roster are entering their senior seasons. Some are multi-year starters back for one more run, some are players who have mostly served as depth over the past three or four years, and some are transfers playing in the burnt orange for the first time.

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With time running out on their careers, what’s next for the group of senior Longhorns before they turn pro or go pro in something other than sports? Inside Texas looks at all the elder statesmen of the roster in Part I of a two-part series.

DT Jermayne Lole, 7th Yr.: That’s right, Lole is a 7th-year senior. Lole was part of the 2018 class and had two standout seasons at Arizona State before injury in 2020 cost him the 2021 season. Another injury suffered in 2022 at Louisville cut his year short, but 2023 saw him bounce back with 5.0 tackles for loss during the Cardinals’ 10-4 season. There are no eighth chances (probably) for Lole, so finding his role within the Longhorns’ defensive tackle rotation and making the most of one more year of college football is a must.

DT Tiaoalii Savea, SR: Savea has been with Johnny Nansen in every step of his career, whether that was at UCLA, Arizona, or now Texas. Savea was one of the first players Texas pursued in hopes of bolstering the defensive tackle room. The room is made more crowded by the additions of Lole and Bill Norton, but Savea should play a significant role this season. Here’s more on what he brings, via Ian Boyd.

DT Alfred Collins, SR: Collins returned to Texas to be an early-round pick. No longer are there any NFL defensive tackles ahead of him on the roster. He has all the opportunity to prove he is the NFL defensive tackle on the roster and that he can play consistently at a five-star level.

EDGE Barryn Sorrell, SR: One of the players who has developed the most during his time under Pete Kwiatkowski, Sorrell enters his third season as one of the Longhorns’ main EDGE players. The room is more talented than ever, but his physical maturity should lend Sorrell playing most of the time at Jack. Can he turn a solid 2024 into an NFL career?

TE Gunnar Helm, SR: Ja’Tavion Sanders is no longer on the Longhorns, so the TE1 responsibilities belong to Helm. He played in that role last season during times when Sanders was dinged up, so the position isn’t anything foreign to Helm. His ability to do it over the course of a lengthy SEC season is something not quite known. Helm should be the lead TE but there are talented members of his position group striving to take his spot.

TE Juan Davis, SR: In his three-year career, Davis has two touches for three yards. They came in 2021. Davis has yet to really crack the rotation at TE over the past few seasons. Part of that has to do with his longer developmental curve, and part of that has to do with talented TEs like Sanders in front of him in the pecking order. Davis has put together one of his best offseasons in burnt orange ahead of his final opportunity in college.

OL Hayden Conner, SR: Conner has been part of the Longhorn O-line for the past two seasons, maintaining his spot at left guard. He was pushed in camp by Neto Umeozulu, but when practice starts on July 31 Conner should be the first one taking reps at LG. Conner’s game has a lot of strong points but there are some weaknesses in it, too. This will be his final season to shore everything up.

OL Jake Majors, SR: Majors’ decision to return for his fifth season of eligibility was massive for the Longhorns as they enter the SEC. Having an experienced senior in the middle of a quality offensive line is a significant benefit for Steve Sarkisian as the Longhorns look to put together another run to the playoff. Majors has provided quality play over the last three seasons, and could hear his name called in the NFL Draft with another strong campaign.

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DT Vernon Broughton, SR: Like Collins, Broughton has waited his turn behind a number of NFL defensive linemen. Broughton’s playing time, especially with multiple transfers joining his position group, will depend on if he can shore up certain areas of his game like run defense.