Skip to main content

Five Texas defensive players to pay extra close attention to in August

Eric Nahlinby: Eric Nahlin07/22/25
Derek Williams
Derek Williams (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

As excited as fans are about the Arch Manning era kicking off this season, they should be even more excited about what should be a nationally dominant defense. The expected positive feedback loop between pass rush and sticky coverage should yet again be a hallmark of Pete Kwiatkowski's unit. It turns out elite talent combined with experience and depth is a recipe for success. With a number of knowns on the defense—Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill, and Michael Taaffe to name a few—let's focus on players we're still getting to know.