The countdown to Texas football is down to 61 days, and we’ve made our way to the defensive side of the ball. Today, we’ll focus on the depth of what could be the deepest room on the roster, the interior defensive line. The Longhorns return multiple major contributors from 2025 and strong portal additions ready to contribute.
Starters: Hero Kanu and Alex January
These are the two leaders in this room to me. “Starters” could be the wrong moniker, considering the amount of rotation that’ll happen here. However, I expect No. 93 and No. 97 to be out there together more than any other combination. Kanu has gained buzz early in the offseason for the 2027 NFL Draft. January is more of an unknown, but I(and many others) believe a breakout is coming this season. Kanu-January could join Sweat-Murphy and Broughton-Collins among the special DT duos in recent Texas football history.
Consistent Contributors: Justus Terry, Josiah Sharma, Maraad Watson, Ian Geffrard
It’s hard to find where to cut off the next group. However, I expect this group to consistently rotate at least six players at this position and these are the four I’ve separated. Justus Terry not only has the highest ceiling of this group, but likely the highest ceiling of the entire DT room. I expect him to shine in Will Muschamp’s defense all over the defensive line.