Positional analysis: Defensive backs

Eighth in a position-by-position series by staff writer Nick Moyle looking at the 2021 Texas Longhorns:

OVERVIEW

Who’s back: Chris Adimora, junior; D’Shawn Jamison, senior; Josh Thompson, senior; Anthony Cook, senior; Brenden Schooler (convertted from WR), senior; Kitan Crawford, sophomore; Jahdae Barron, sophomore; Marques Caldwell, sophomore; B.J. Foster, senior; Jerrin Thompson, sophomore; Tyler Owens, junior. Who’s gone: Caden Sterns; Chris Brown; Xavion Alford; Jalen Green; Kenyatta Watson II.

2021 signees/transfers: Darion Dunn (McNeese State), JD Coffey (Kennedale), Jamier Johnson (Pasadena John Muir, Calif.), Ishmael Ibraheem (Dallas Kimball).

WHAT TO EXPECT

Texas lost a combined 53 games of experience in the secondary with safeties Sterns, a former Steele standout, and Brown both exiting for the NFL. UT also lost a trio of former four-star recruits with the transfers of Alford (USC), Green (Mississippi State) and Watson (Georgia Tech).

So new defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski has a few holes to patch. After UT finished last season ranked 108th in passing yards allowed, smashing the reset button isn’t a dreadful option.

Senior Jamison has made cameos on the ESPN “SportsCenter” top-10 plays a few times for his triumphant punt- and kickoff-return antics, but he’s also growing into an exceptional cover corner. He popped off the play of the day in Texas’ OrangeWhite game, springing in front of a dodgy pass from Casey Thompson for a 92-yard pick six that lifted his team to a win.

Fellow senior Josh Thompson should slot in as the second cornerback after starting all 10 games last season. Then it gets interesting.

Kwiatkowski’s go-to alignment is a nickel front with five defensive

backs, and clearly that system would collapse without two capable safeties and a trustworthy nickel back.

Junior Adimora started at nickel in the spring scrimmage, and it’s likely he’ll hold onto that spot heading into the regular season. Jerrin Thompson closed his freshman campaign strong with nine tackles and one interception in Texas’ final two games, and he displayed clever timing on a successful safety blitz in the Orange-White game.

But the most intriguing subplot is the competition between seniors Schooler and Foster. Schooler transferred to Texas as a receiver in 2020, but the new staff decided to see if the former Oregon safety still remembered how to play there.

Schooler led the Ducks in interceptions (four) and finished third in tackles (74) as a true freshman, and his return has been very much like hopping onto on a familiar bicycle. He started over Foster in the spring game, taking a surprise lead in a competition that’s still far from over.

“Man, he surprised me. My guy, he’s a dog,” Jamison said of Schooler. “I really love the way he comes down and hits. He showed that he can cover. He’s one of the players that showed me and surprised me that he could actually play both sides of the ball.”

Jamison is locked in and Adimora is close to a surefire starter, but the rest of the defensive back depth chart remains opaque.

Senior Cook opted not to transfer after a brief dalliance with the NCAA portal, and he’ll compete at safety and nickel. Once considered a top-10 cornerback recruit, Cook has reportedly improved both as a tackler and in coverage. Even if he doesn’t start, there will be chances to play.

Texas also added McNeese State transfer Dunn, who could wind up anywhere from “solid backup” to “starting corner.” The 6-1 graduate transfer was a firstteam All-Southland Conference in 2019 — and he broke the school’s 60-meter hurdles record last year.

Then there’s junior Owens and sophomores Crawford, Barron and Caldwell. That group hasn’t seen the field much, and UT head coach Steve Sarkisian said the key to any one of the four getting significant playing time will boil down to eschewing highlight-chasing for more economical play.

“Great players really start by being great by being where they’re supposed to be and making the plays they’re supposed to make,” Sarkisian said. “It’s not that they go out and make a bunch of highlight plays. They’re in position to make the great play when it presents itself. Really great players just do what they’re supposed to do consistently over and over and over.”

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART

Cornerback

» Jamison

» Crawford Cornerback

» Josh Thompson » Dunn

Free safety

» Jerrin Thompson » Owens

Strong safety

» Schooler

» Foster

Nickel back

» Adimora

» Cook

Tom Reel / Staff photographer Corner D’Shawn Jamison, stiff-arming a defender in last year’s Valero Alamo Bowl, had a 92-yard pick six in the spring game.