I wish I could share your optimism. Texas has the guys everyone was recruiting so its not like we have chopped liver back there. We do however have the dc that loves the 10 yard cushion. Unless that changes, doesnt matter who is back there.
Keep this in mind:
Williams and Mukuba are replacing Taaffe & Thompson. Taaffe is a great kid, and smart. Simply, he doesn’t possess the physical skills of the likely 24 starters. (Taaffe will definitely be in the rotation.)
Thompson played hard, but he didn’t possess the speed and coverage skills of the two likely starters this year. Don’t forget that Williams, a 5-star, was a summer 2023 enrollee. With a full year under his belt and a spring, I think we’re going to see an emerging, elite player.
At corner, there are plenty of options. Muhammed will have a year under his belt, and I have little doubt that he will begin to emerge as an outstanding player. The book on Brooks is that he has the skill set, simply, he needs to refine his game. Again, one more year is going to make a big difference.
More than a few considered Barron “the best player on the team” during the first quarter of last season. Then the injury bug hit, and he was not 100% for the rest of the year. My guess is that he will be competing for the Thorpe award this year.
If you look at the stable of backups that will be available, it’s impressive. Many would be starters at all but perhaps the top 10-15 programs.
If we are not considerably better on the backend I will be shocked. (Or, the injury bug will have hit. I’m knocking on wood!) Let me add that I expect all of the likely starters to be playing in the NFL after they leave Texas, and most will be drafted, some in the early rounds.
Finally, I think you will see a different defensive strategy out of PK, and more press coverage. That started to happen late last season.
