Projecting the Texas depth chart heading into preseason camp

Preseason camp starts for the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday as head coach Steve Sarkisian heads into a critical second season with a revamped roster and plenty of pressure to improve on last season's disappointing 5-7 record.

As camp begins, the Longhorns were able to benefit from two hours per week of skill instruction since the end of spring practice, helping to integrate 21 summer enrollees into the program, including key additions at wide receiver, offensive line, and linebacker.

Here's a projection of how the depth chart could look on Wednesday when preseason camp starts.

Quarterback -- Redshirt sophomore Hudson Card's knowledge of the offense and ability to avoid mistakes had him slightly ahead of redshirt freshman Quinn Ewers in the quarterback battle when spring practice ended. Summer work could give Ewers the edge entering preseason camp, but with Sarkisian declining to indicate if there's any separation between the two players at Big 12 Media Days last month, Card remains the co-starter listed first on the depth chart here in a battle that could end before game week.

Running back -- Perhaps the best and most locked-in position group on the entire roster. Nothing else really needs to be said of Tashard Choice's room in terms of the depth chart.

Wide receiver -- Transfers and injuries left the Horns thin at wide receiver exiting spring practice, but reinforcements arrived with two transfers and two signees, as well as the continued rehabilitation of redshirt sophomore Troy Omeire and redshirt freshman Jaden Alexis, who should both be close to full speed as camp starts.

The starters are essentially locked in, so the storylines revolve around which players will force their way into the rotation among a group that includes Iowa State transfer Tarique Milton and freshman speedster Brenen Thompson competing in the slot and Omeire and Alabama transfer Agiye Hall battling at the X position.

Tight end -- Listing three co-starters at the position is an indication of the situational roles each player is expected to have this season. Alabama transfer Jahleel Billingsley is in the mold of Lil'Jordan Humphrey as a big inside receiver, sophomore Gunnar Helm is considered the best blocker, and sophomore Ja'Tavion Sanders is a more traditional receiving threat as a tight end who is still working to improve his blocking.

Offensive line -- In Arlington, Sarkisian noted that he won't have a strong feel for what he has in his six summer enrollees along the offensive line until the pads come on, but offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., offensive guard DJ Campbell, and offensive tackle Cameron Williams all drew praise from their head coach and teammates for their summer work.

Expect for Banks and Campbell to move up the depth chart quickly once Texas gets into pads and holds the crucial scrimmages in camp, but for now it's too early to project either one as a starter in this version of the depth chart, especially with the uncertainty of where sophomore Hayden Conner will play.

Defensive line -- In the most crowded position group on the roster, the Longhorns enter camp with 18 defensive linemen and outside linebackers. Freshman Justice Finkley, freshman J'mond Tapp, and sophomore Byron Murphy II are three players who could make big moves during camp with the possibility that Murphy effectively emerges as a co-starter at nose tackle.

Linebacker -- Super senior DeMarvion Overshown revealed that he'll play more on the edge this fall, lining up at strong-side linebacker in base defense with the addition of James Madison transfer Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, who will play in Overshown's spot on the weak side in that personnel grouping.

Secondary -- The depth chart assumes that freshman cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau and redshirt freshman cornerback Ishmael Ibraheem will both return to practice after suspensions, though . Where summer enrollees Austin Jordan and X'avion Brice start should become apparent this week in practice as the primary battle in the secondary between juniors Jerrin Thompson and Kitan Crawford continues at safety.

Special teams -- Slotting freshman Will Stone ahead of redshirt freshman Bert Auburn is probably the single biggest projection on this depth chart, but Auburn looked a little bit shaky in the Orange-White game and Stone was brought in as a recruit with the ability to immediately earn the starting job, so he gets the nod here. While Texas also signed freshman deep snapper Lance St. Louis as a scholarship player, the experience of senior Zach Edwards earns him the starting spot to open camp.