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Texas has yet another dominant defensive tackle

by: Evan Vieth4 hours ago
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Hero Kanu (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Texas has sent six defensive tackles to the NFL in the last three years, and yet, Texas’ defensive line still looks like one of the best in the nation.

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PFF grades are far from gospel in the trenches, but of 44 defensive tackles that have played north of 60 snaps in the SEC so far, the Longhorns have two of the three highest-rated pass rushers, a top-20 graded player, and the No. 1 graded player.

It should come as no surprise to those who have been watching closely that the No. 1-rated player is Hero Kanu, a redshirt junior transfer from Ohio State.

Kanu originated from Geltendorf, Germany, a scenic municipality in Bavaria known for its beautiful countryside. Who would’ve thought such a violent player on the defensive line could come from there?

But Kanu definitely has a gentle side to him; it’s obvious when you get the chance to chat with him.

When he came to the podium on Monday for Texas’ player availability, he talked about all things from his family, Germany, Austin, and even Mexican food.

“I probably just get some tacos, like some birria tacos. I usually get eight of them. You know, I’m a big guy, so that’s how you got to go,” Kanu said.

Seems like he’s beginning to like Austin—apart from the heat, he said.

Kanu is no stranger to success, having come from last year’s national championship-winning Buckeyes. His ring is back home with his mother, with his sole focus on Austin and the Texas Longhorns.

“For me, it was just a personal decision. I thought it was best for me,” Kanu said on entering the portal. “I went on three official visits: here, Florida, and Georgia. I felt like Texas was the best fit for me.”

Kanu has turned into a great fit for this Longhorn team. He’s Texas’ best pass rusher from the interior and is a great athlete and true competitor. He’s able to play a base defensive end position to give the team size or as a smaller-sized 2I tasked with beating a guard on a pass rush.

It also helps that the Longhorns continued to add in the portal next to him. With returner Alex January sidelined for this past game, Texas brought out an all-portal rotation at DT. Syracuse transfer Maraad Watson has played the majority of the snaps at the position outside of Kanu. But there’s also Cole Brevard, a veteran Purdue transfer with a ton of strength, and pure nose tackle Travis Shaw, who is the fourth or fifth man in the rotation.

“From the first day we all got together, it was kind of like, no-brainer, we’re gonna be one of the closest groups on this field at all times,” Kanu said. “We’re all super close friends. We hang out outside of the facility. We make time. We have pizza nights, you know, hanging out at the pool. Everybody is really good. We have great chemistry going on.”

Kanu is quick to compliment as well. When asked about his own strength test scores from the offseason, Kanu quickly used it as a way to shout out Brevard.

“I hope you all know Cole Brevard is the strongest person I’ve ever met in my life. Like, genuinely speaking, he might be the strongest person I’ve ever met,” Kanu said.

For such a new group, it’s stunning how well these defensive linemen have gelled together. From Germany to a sophomore out of Syracuse to a seasoned Big Ten vet, this unit has gone from one of the biggest concerns to one of the biggest strengths on the team.

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