23 days until Texas Football: Jahdae Barron is the defense's STAR; Jaydon Blue battles for carries
Inside Texas is putting a new twist on long-time photographer Will Gallagher’s time-honored countdown to Texas football kickoff. In addition to Will’s great pictures, the Inside Texas staff will go through every player on the roster by jersey number and offer a season outlook on each, from five-star to walk-on.
[Join Inside Texas today and get the best Texas Longhorns insider team info and recruiting intel!]
We’ll also look back at other greats to wear that day’s number, with special reverence to some of Texas’ best.
Today is 23 days until kickoff. No. 23 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by Jahdae Barron, a senior defensive back, and Jaydon Blue, a sophomore running back.
Jahdae Barron season outlook
Freshman Jaylon Guilbeau started the first two games of the 2022 campaign at Star before Barron returned both to full health and the starting lineup. At that crucial position in the Texas defense, Barron became one of the teams more effective defenders. He successfully played the run and won assignments versus slot receivers in the pass game.
An instinctual player who has also made waves on special teams, Barron will be asked to play at a high level once again this season. He’s aware doing so will help the team and his professional future.
“When my coach moved me at the position he told me at the end of the day it created value for myself,” Barron told Ian Boyd at Big 12 Media Days. “Just to be able to play in the box and still go play and cover guys in the slot and to be able to tackle in space and stuff like that. But at the end of the day I’m still learning corner and safety and critiquing my game at nickel. I want to do it all.”
Barron has played in 27 games with 11 starts in his three years at Texas. He has amassed 99 total tackles (58 of them solo), 12.5 tackles for a loss, a sack, two interceptions, nine passed defended and a fumble caused and one recovered in his career.
Barron is tied for sixth in program history with three non-offensive touchdowns (1 blk PR, 1 INT return, 1 FR). He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2022, the same season he was a fourth-team All-Big 12 Preseason selection by Athlon Sports.
Barron was selected to the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 First Team and is a two-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (fall 2020, spring 2021).
Jahdae Barron as a recruit
Jaydon Blue season outlook
There’s experience in the form of Jonathon Brooks and Keilan Robinson in the Longhorn running back room. There’s also elite young talent in CJ Baxter. If Blue wants carries, he’ll have to make use of his unique traits when he gets the chance.
Blue has high-end straight-line speed and great quickness. He’s tailor-made for outside runs, and even has good receiving ability.
His between-the-tackles game is what will separate Blue from the sidelines this season. Brooks and Baxter are better built for those runs, and Robinson does it on occasion but not as his main assignment. However, Blue showed the ability to run tough and break tackles during the spring game, a necessity for inside running. Should Blue become more adept in the A-gap, he’ll be utilized regularly. If not, he will be a great analog for Robinson in that unique role.
Blue played in nine games and rushed 15 times for 33 yards in 2022.
Jaydon Blue as a recruit
Recent player to wear No. 23: Carrington Byndom
Byndom appeared in 38 games with 26 consecutive and career starts in his four seasons at Texas. He racked up 189 tackles (143 of them solo), 12 tackles for a loss, two sacks, five interceptions, 34 passes defended, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and three blocked kicks in his stint in Austin
Byndom returned two of his five career interceptions for touchdowns and is one of eight players in school history with two or more in a career. He was named to the 2012 Nagurski Trophy and CFPA Defensive Back Trophy watch lists and was 2011 first-team All-Big 12 by the AP.
All-Americans to wear No. 23
Jeff Ward, PK, 1983 and 1986
Joe Cook co-authored this article
