Interior DTs (including NTs)

C

Chop

10,000+ Posts
Losing Sweat (2nd Round Draft Choice) and Murphy (1st Round Draft Choice) will obviously mean an overall downgrade to our interior DT rotation. (By "Interior DTs", I'm including NTs, guys who often play in the"2 Technique"; you know--the 2 big guys on the front 4 who are not DEs. The terminology keeps changing.). That being said, the 2 deep at interior DT is shaping up to be better than many would suspect.

Collins - I thought he'd be gone. It's great to have him back. He really arrived on the scene last year. Could be all SEC Hon mention or maybe even 2nd team.

Bledsoe - He is the rising star. Last year, he played quite well as an undersized interior DT. Now he's running 20 lbs bigger at 293 lbs, and still very quick. It looks like the "right kind of weight" that he put on. He has very good moves and often makes slower OL look stupid. Also could be all SEC Hon mention.

Savea - Strong Samoan dude who moves pretty well. Dozens of guys like this have started for PAC 10 teams in recent years. At a minimum, he provides capable depth. Good pickup via the portal.

Broughton - Much athleticism and potential. Sheds blocks well. Hasn't quite put it all together for a full season yet, but he could.

Bryant - Tough, squatty, physical run-stopper and line-of-scrimmage controller. Could improve some on the pass rush. One of the top recruits from the State of Mississippi when he signed here.

Sydir Mitchell - HUGE strong young man. Mixed reports on his agility, but I've seen his HS film where he hurdled a man while running a fumble back. At a minimum, he could be useful in short yardage situations next year. He's BIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGG.

January - future All-Conference 1st team. Hopefully he does not shirt and makes the 3-deep as a true Freshman getting experience right away. Longhorn legacy (his Dad was an LB here)

Melvin Hills - 6'4" 277 lb true Freshman Strongside DE/"Tweener." At that size, he will probably spin down to interior DT where he will hopefully play a lot like Bledsoe has. Hand-picked by Bo Davis who made his recruiting a priority.

Dorian Black - ?

Ben Armstrong - ?
 
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This position is one in flux, as Kenny Baker's background (pass rushing DL specialist) doesn't gel with what we did in 2023. I'm kind of waiting to see if we're going to turn it into the Trey Moore show and let the DE's go wild. I bet we'll see anywhere from 3 to 5 different starting interior DL makeups (2 different guys at DT or different guys at NT) throughout the year.

Broughton is pretty much where it begins and ends for the "sure-fire" talent. We know what we have with him, and he was arguably our most important interior guy not named Murphy or Sweat in 2023. If you pull up any of our TV highlight reels from YouTube, you'll find him in surprisingly-important defensive calls, whether it was against Bama or Houston. That's how much he was entrusted last season. It'll be way more this year.

I haven't been on the Collins bandwagon since 2021. He failed to perform after a promising freshman campaign, and he hasn't shown enough to not get supplanted by the likes of Bledsoe, Bryant, etc. He's a smart guy, though, and will have a promising future outside of football. The more "Collins for all-conference" posts I see for the 4th straight offseason, the less I believe it.

Savea will plug holes but at the cost of pass rush. That was our issue last year. I think he'll be decent against the run.

Apparently Mitchell isn't in great shape so my guess is he won't be used much... maybe a 5-snaps kind of guy at NT.

Bledsoe and January are the ones I'd love to see take that next step. Rod Wright comes to mind with both of them. They have that motor and big paws. January was tested at the highest HS levels and won't back down from pressure.
 
Horns11 said:
This position is one in flux, as Kenny Baker's background (pass rushing DL specialist) doesn't gel with what we did in 2023. I'm kind of waiting to see if we're going to turn it into the Trey Moore show and let the DE's go wild. I bet we'll see anywhere from 3 to 5 different starting interior DL makeups (2 different guys at DT or different guys at NT) throughout the year.

Broughton is pretty much where it begins and ends for the "sure-fire" talent. We know what we have with him, and he was arguably our most important interior guy not named Murphy or Sweat in 2023. If you pull up any of our TV highlight reels from YouTube, you'll find him in surprisingly-important defensive calls, whether it was against Bama or Houston. That's how much he was entrusted last season. It'll be way more this year.

I haven't been on the Collins bandwagon since 2021. He failed to perform after a promising freshman campaign, and he hasn't shown enough to not get supplanted by the likes of Bledsoe, Bryant, etc. He's a smart guy, though, and will have a promising future outside of football. The more "Collins for all-conference" posts I see for the 4th straight offseason, the less I believe it.

Savea will plug holes but at the cost of pass rush. That was our issue last year. I think he'll be decent against the run.

Apparently Mitchell isn't in great shape so my guess is he won't be used much... maybe a 5-snaps kind of guy at NT.

Bledsoe and January are the ones I'd love to see take that next step. Rod Wright comes to mind with both of them. They have that motor and big paws. January was tested at the highest HS levels and won't back down from pressure.
Click to expand...
Bledsoe might be our top guy at DT by the end of this year, he can do it all and spends a fair amount of time in opponents' backfields. I'm more positive on Collins than you, but I'm also glad Broughton is back. Savea sounds kind of like Bryant--good against the run, so-so against the pass. This means we'll probably not see them both paired up together on the field at the same time.
 
NRHorn said:
Bill Norton, is he a DT?
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Yes. Nose.

And we shouldn’t forget Jermayne Lole, who was dominant early in his career at ASU before the injuries started. He had a good year at Louisville in 2023. Might be ready to step up this year.

While we might not have standouts like Murphy and Sweat, we could have more depth than last year. The question is, will one or two players break out? Given the portfolio, I suspect that someone will. We are not devoid of talent.
 
Tiaoalii Savea
6'4"
293 lbs
DT/NT
Senior transfer from U. of Arizona
Originally from Las Vegas

Sounds like he'd be good enough to start at many D1 schools. Our S&C program can only make him better before the season starts. He'll likely be on our 2-deep, and get a lot of playing time. Possible starter if some of our other guys don't pan out, or if there's injuries. Capable journeyman who will provide needed depth at a minimum.

BEFORE TEXAS
A transfer defensive lineman from Arizona who has played in 29 career games, including 19 at Arizona that included two starts after having transferred from UCLA where he spent one season and played in 10 games … with the Wildcats, he accumulated 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three pressures, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick in two seasons … selected to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List in 2023 … played in 12 games with starts against Stanford at nose guard and against Utah at EDGE as a junior … collected 22 tackles, six tackles for loss for 24 yards, 1.5 sacks and three pressures … posted four tackles with a half tackle for loss at Mississippi State … registered a tackle for loss against UTEP … started against Stanford and notched two tackles and a half sack … tallied a season-high two tackles for loss with one sack and three total tackles against Washington … also notched three tackles at USC … recorded an 11-yard tackle for loss at Washington State … started against Utah and secured a half tackle for loss and one pressure … closed the season with three tackles, including a half tackle for loss, and one pressure against Oklahoma … appeared in seven games during his first season with the Wildcats in 2022 after transferring from UCLA … totaled 14 tackles (8 solo, 6 assist), 1.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick … registered at least two tackles in six of his seven games … the blocked field goal attempt helped Arizona upset No. 9 UCLA, 34-28, at The Rose Bowl and he also made a season-high three tackles in that game … also recorded three tackles with one tackle for loss at Cal … recovered a fumble and returned it 18 yards to go along with two tackles and a half tackle for loss against Arizona State … spent one season at UCLA in 2021 and saw time in 10 games along the defensive line … finished the year with seven tackles after logging multiple stops in each of his last three appearances as a freshman.
 
He looks kinda mean:

12249651.jpg


Not a guy you'd want to "drop in" on a wave he's catching.
 
Sounds like Savea has plenty of work ethic and "football smarts", per Gbenda:

“Tia (Savea), I watched him look at his notes the other day, and his notes almost looked like mine, and I'm a linebacker,” Gbenda said. “That's very detailed for a D-tackle.* The new tackles understand the job that they have to uphold. And they're not shying away from the fact; they're pushing themselves and stretching themselves.”


* It's almost as if some people think DTs are dumb...
 
dukesteer said:
Yes. Nose.

And we shouldn’t forget Jermayne Lole, who was dominant early in his career at ASU before the injuries started. He had a good year at Louisville in 2023. Might be ready to step up this year.

While we might not have standouts like Murphy and Sweat, we could have more depth than last year. The question is, will one or two players break out? Given the portfolio, I suspect that someone will. We are not devoid of talent.
Click to expand...

Lets not forget Murphy and Sweat were not "standouts "when last season started.
 
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Chop said:
Sounds like Savea has plenty of work ethic and "football smarts", per Gbenda:

“Tia (Savea), I watched him look at his notes the other day, and his notes almost looked like mine, and I'm a linebacker,” Gbenda said. “That's very detailed for a D-tackle.* The new tackles understand the job that they have to uphold. And they're not shying away from the fact; they're pushing themselves and stretching themselves.”


* It's almost as if some people think DTs are dumb...
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All the ones I knew, were.
I’d venture to guess by some of the posts here that we have a few DTs posting
 
NRHorn said:
All the ones I knew, were.
I’d venture to guess by some of the posts here that we have a few DTs posting
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DTs' (lack of) intelligence is a common mis-conception.

At least one "study" has shown that DTs and OLs (especially LTs) are the most intelligent athletes (not just football players) in the world of sport. Also ranked at the top are guys that played baseball and basketball up through Junior High, then quit those sports. Really bad golfers and surfers..........add 10 pts to average IQ.

:tap:

:beertoast:
 

Texas Longhorns Football Depth Chart 2024-25 | Starters and Backup Players

Texas Longhorns Football Depth Chart for College Football 2024-25 including Offensive Positions, Defensive Positions, and Special Teams. Stay updated on the current starters and backup players of your favorite NCAA Football teams on sportskeeda.com.
www.sportskeeda.com www.sportskeeda.com

This source is far from definitive.

For interior DL (DT, NT, etc.--not DEs) they have:

Group 1 - Broughton, Norton, Collins

Group 2 - Lole, Savea, Mitchell

Group 3 - Bledsoe, Bryant, January


Now that the incoming transfers are done, I'd put our 4 deep as:

1st Team - Collins, Bledsoe

2nd Team - Broughton, Lole

3rd Team - Norton, Savea

4th team: Bryant, Mitchell, January


Lole is a stud. If he gets the reps, he could challenge for 2nd team all SEC. It's very good to have him aboard. Bledsoe looked like he will be one of our best, based on the latter half of last year.

The Arizona transfer duo of Norton and Savea can do nothing but help. Collins has great athleticism and could be ready to put it all together for a full year. Bryant is a short yardage run stuffer who could see a lot of use. We might be able to redshirt January after all, which would be nice as he's a likely future star.
 
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2024 Texas Longhorns Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.
www.ourlads.com www.ourlads.com

Another opinion.

Nobody seems to like Bledsoe like I do, but these article writers haven't watched all our games last year. If Bledsoe gets appropriate playing time, he could be all-SEC Hon. Mention.
 
1722709368736.png


Jermayne Tauinaola Lole - Interior DT - Grad Transfer from Louisville

After appearing in one game in 2022, Lole made 12 appearances last year with 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His best season came in 2019 at Arizona State, where he had 71 tackles (10 for loss) with 6.5 sacks.

The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Lole will join Arizona transfers Bill Norton and Tiaoalii Savea at Texas. Lole is a Long Beach, CA native (although in at least one source, Lole is described as being from Compton).


www.espn.com

D-lineman Lole flips pick from Oklahoma to Texas

Texas has landed a transfer at a key position of need, with former Louisville defensive lineman Jermayne Lole flipping his commitment from Oklahoma to the Longhorns.
www.espn.com www.espn.com


He had committed to OU as a grad transfer, then flipped to UT!
 
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Lole video:

Very strong, and quick.

Pencil him is as a starter.

All-SEC 2nd team (or possibly even better)

 
Chop said:
Lole video:

Very strong, and quick.

Pencil him is as a starter.

All-SEC 2nd team (or possibly even better)

Click to expand...

Well over 300 lbs, but not a fat dude. Immensely strong.

1722709930836.png



Using my Polynesian eyeball test, Lole falls squarely into the category of "Guy you no drop in on his wave."
 
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Chop said:

Texas Longhorns Football Depth Chart 2024-25 | Starters and Backup Players

Texas Longhorns Football Depth Chart for College Football 2024-25 including Offensive Positions, Defensive Positions, and Special Teams. Stay updated on the current starters and backup players of your favorite NCAA Football teams on sportskeeda.com.
www.sportskeeda.com www.sportskeeda.com

This source is far from definitive.

For interior DL (DT, NT, etc.--not DEs) they have:

Group 1 - Broughton, Norton, Collins

Group 2 - Lole, Savea, Mitchell

Group 3 - Bledsoe, Bryant, January


Now that the incoming transfers are done, I'd put our 4 deep as:

1st Team - Lole, Bledsoe

2nd Team - Broughton, Norton

3rd Team - Collins, Savea

4th team: Bryant, Mitchell, January


Lole is a stud. He'll challenge for 2nd team all SEC. It's very good to have him aboard. Bledsoe looked like he will be one of our best, based on the latter half of last year.

The Arizona transfer due of Norton and Savea can do nothing but help. Collins has great athleticism and could be ready to put it all together. Bryant is a short yardage run stuffer who could see a lot of use. We might be able to redshirt January after all, which would be nice as he's a likely future star.
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Gerry Hamilton ranked the Texas DL (in order) today.

1. Alfred Collins
2. Jermayne Lole
3. Jarray Bledsoe
4. Alex January

He listed the rest as role players
Bill Norton
Tia Savea
Vernon Broughton
Aaron Bryant



Said behind Norton, Bryant is the second best anchor DL on the team.

Said Bledsoe, pound for pound, may be the best athlete on the team.

Melvin Hills has really impressed, but needs some work on technique. They expect a redshirt for him

Sydir Mitchell was lisited last and more or less said there's not much hope here unless he makes some changes.
 
cnb said:
Gerry Hamilton ranked the Texas DL (in order) today.

1. Alfred Collins
2. Jermayne Lole
3. Jarray Bledsoe
4. Alex January

He listed the rest as role players
Bill Norton
Tia Savea
Vernon Broughton
Aaron Bryant



Said behind Norton, Bryant is the second best anchor DL on the team.

Said Bledsoe, pound for pound, may be the best athlete on the team.

Melvin Hills has really impressed, but needs some work on technique. They expect a redshirt for him

Sydir Mitchell was lisited last and more or less said there's not much hope here unless he makes some changes.
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I figure Bledsoe may shine. Lole is a stud. Collins has big potential, but has to really get it all together here as a Senior. Great to hear January is even better than advertised!
 
I thought DT was a weak spot? If we get better pass rush from DE, NT wouldn’t have to be as good as last year.
 
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mchammer said:
I thought DT was a weak spot?
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That was before these transfers came in. Now, interior DL is looking at least decent, maybe pretty good.

DE is looking good to very good.

Lingering concerns: OL, DBs, LB depth (the starters look very good)
 
Chop said:
That was before these transfers came in. Now, interior DL is looking at least decent, maybe pretty good.

DE is looking good to very good.

Lingering concerns: OL, DBs, LB depth (the starters look very good)
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OL??? Don’t you mean TE?
 
Horns11 said:
Yeah I kind of forgot about Norton and Lole. Lole is explosive, while Norton kind of reminds me more of Savea.
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Keep in mind, Norton is the second biggest DT at 335 lbs. After stints with Arizona and Louisville, he spent two years at GEORGIA. And has TWO Nattys !! He is a major reason I am no longer worried about the position. Sydir Mitchell is coming along, has lost weight, looks better than at spring, and has without a doubt the best upside to become the next Sweatt/Murphy.
 
DCTF doesn't do a 2 deep this year.

They project Collins and Broughton as our 2 starters.

I think those 2 will be in our 2 deep along with Lole and Bledsoe. I'd put the Bledsoe/Lole team as our 1st team above even Collins and Broughton.

Little-heralded Marlin, Texas undersized DT recruit Jaray Bledsoe is now on his way to being a star. So he's over 290 lbs now with the athleticism of a MLB or a fullback. He's got good handwork and sheds blocks rapidly, and he's got those instincts for the ball that maybe can't even be coached (other than by watching more film than Cannes movie critics--which our lads should do).
 
baoklhorn said:
Keep in mind, Norton is the second biggest DT at 335 lbs. After stints with Arizona and Louisville, he spent two years at GEORGIA. And has TWO Nattys !! He is a major reason I am no longer worried about the position. Sydir Mitchell is coming along, has lost weight, looks better than at spring, and has without a doubt the best upside to become the next Sweatt/Murphy.
Click to expand...


Sorry but Mitchell is not coming along. Not sure where you got that he has the best upside. He is a massive disapointment to this point.
See previous posts on this.
 
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