Texas roster health checkup: Cornerback vitals are strong

Around noon last Friday IT received a text message stating senior cornerback D’Shawn Jamison would miss the game versus TCU due to a concussion. Given TCU’s very good group of receivers, that didn’t exactly inspire confidence in defending the new and improved Horned Frogs passing attack.

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

There were three possible replacements for Jamison and we heard all three might play. Those would be Jamier Johnson, Austin Jordan, and Terrance Brooks. Each has played some this season with mixed results, both good and bad, but often good relative to their experience.

As a sophomore Johnson had a bit more experience in the program and by all accounts had a good offseason. Jordan similarly impressed once he arrived in June and quickly became known for his maturity and work ethic. Brooks was an early enrollee who came in with by far the most fanfare. The one-time Ohio State commit was an On3 five-star, in large part due to his versatility and length. If long speed precluded him from staying at corner, the thinking was he’d end up becoming an NFL safety like his father Chet. Indeed, that was still the read on him after six months on campus.

Of course Brooks got the nod Saturday night and his upside was on display. As recently as August a source wondered if he might still eventually move to safety, but after his play Saturday, he has the inside track to replacing Jamison next season.

On the other side of the field, Ryan Watts has had a very strong season. Like Brooks, he committed to Ohio State, but unlike Brooks he signed and attended for two years. Texas quickly swooped up the physical and long corner upon him entering the portal. He has been far and away UT’s best portal acquisition. There’s another one from Ohio State who still has a lot of book left to write, however.

Looking to next year, the future at corner is promising, but looking even further down the road, even after Watts departs, the future is still bright. That’s largely due to having Malik Muhammad committed. The moment Muhammad steps on campus he’ll have the top cover traits in the program. That’s not to be confused with cover skills, those will still need to be honed after he enrolls in two months time.

You can never have enough corners, or defensive backs in general, and UT’s approach to recruiting the secondary suggests the coaches understand that. The coaches select for ability in coverage and mindset first, that way if a player isn’t a true lead corner like Muhammad, they may be able to move to nickel or safety.

Speaking of nickel, or Star as it’s known at UT, the coaches will have an interesting call to make with Jahdae Barron and Jaylon Guilbeau. Do they elect to keep both in place as a way to have a sure-fire one-two punch, or in an effort to get the best five on the field at the same time, does Barron move back to corner to compete with Brooks and the rest? With focus on the position, Barron could become the best corner on the field next year and that’s including Watts. But, sometimes the best call is to do nothing at all.

SR Ryan Watts – Assured boundary starter

SR Jahdae Barron – Likely remains at Star

JR Jamier Johnson – Compete to start

SO Terrance Brooks – Compete to start at corner but has versatility to play at a high level at any position in the secondary. That’s rare.

SO Austin Jordan – Compete to start but has versatility to play any position in the secondary.

FR Malik Muhammad – Should play as a true freshman before starting for as long as he remains on campus. Two years down the road, it’s easy to see Brooks at boundary corner and Muhammad at field corner.

Of course there are always portal considerations. For Texas, it’s been giveth more than it taketh, but times are unpredictable and there are poachers everywhere. I don’t expect Texas to look to add a corner due to lack of need.

Overall, corner vitals are very strong. Texas will have both good starters and depth players next season and beyond.

Roster management score: 8.5/10 due to instant starter portal acquisition, the flip of Terrance Brooks, the signing of versatile pieces who set a high floor for corner but might raise the ceiling at safety, and the commitment of one of the top corners in the country for this cycle.