Projecting the Texas depth chart vs. Louisiana-Monroe

While schools all around the country released depth charts on Monday ahead of their season openers in the coming days, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian not only declined to do so, but isn’t expected to release any depth charts this season, a change in policy from last season.

Fortunately, there’s a significant level of clarity about what the two-deep depth chart will look like on Saturday against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks at Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, so here’s the projected depth chart for the Longhorns.

• The quarterback position is obviously settled with redshirt sophomore Hudson Card backing up redshirt freshman Quinn Ewers.
• Same with running back — junior Bijan Robinson is the starter and senior Roschon Johnson backs him up.
• At wide receiver, it’s not quite as clear, in part because Sarkisian likes to move his wide receivers around and has been doing so since the season-ending injury to junior Isaiah Neyor. The projection here is that Iowa State super senior transfer Tarique Milton is now the starter in the slot with freshman Brenen Thompson behind him and freshman Savion Red behind sophomore Xavier Worthy with junior Jordan Whittington in front of redshirt freshman Casey Cain outside. If Sarkisian wants a big-bodied receiver on the field, Cain could allow Whittington to move back into the slot.
• Based on all the news coming out of camp, including high praise from Robinson today, sophomore tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders is now the starter with sophomore Gunnar Helm and senior Jahleel Billingsley listed as co-starters behind him.
• Robinson also provided some confirmation that freshman Colt Hutson is a starter ahead of freshman DJ Campbell at right guard after returning from injury. The only other real question marks are at second-team center and left guard — redshirt sophomore Logan Parr may still be the backup at center and Campbell could be the backup at left guard.
• Since Sarkisian confirmed that freshman Ethan Burke is in the two deep, he’s listed as the backup to Ovie Oghoufo at Buck end. Things are less clear on the other side at Jack end, as defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski has used some bigger fronts and there hasn’t been a ton of recent buzz about freshman Justice Finkley.
• The inside should be fairly settled with the caveats that all three nose tackles, including senior T’Vondre Sweat, could effectively be co-starters. Junior Alfred Collins could also be considered a co-starter with senior Moro Ojomo at defensive tackle, but signs point to Collins being behind Ojomo after missing time due to injury.
• Feel pretty confident about slotting senior Jett Bush ahead of redshirt junior David Gbenda at Mike linebacker.
• The secondary seems pretty set, although there’s been so much praise for freshman Star Jaylon Guilbeau that he quickly earn reps over junior Jahdae Barron.
• Sarkisian seemed to indicate that freshman Will Stone will handle kickoff duties, while redshirt freshman Bert Auburn will have the first shot at kicking field goals.
• One of the biggest question marks is in the return game, as the open practice didn’t provide much clarity about the depth chart, so it’s intact from last season.