Only seven weekends separate us from the start of the college football season. The official kickoff for the FBS programs in Texas is on Aug. 27 when North Texas travels to El Paso to face UTEP. The other 10 FBS programs in Texas start the following weekend. As we crawl towards the season through excessive heat and baseball-induced boredom, let’s look at the most overrated and underrated units in the Lone Star State, continuing with the defensive side of the ball. 

We published the offensive side of the ball Tuesday. 

DEFENSIVE LINE 

Overrated: Texas A&M 

Are we all to assume a bunch of teenagers (extremely talented teenagers, sure) are supposed to simply plug and play at the same level as DeMarvin Leal, Jayden Peevy, Tyree Johnson, and Michael Clemons? Again, I understand these are Monstars who signed with Texas A&M in the 2022 cycle, but that seems like a big jump. I’m sure the unit will be awesome, especially by the end of the season, but I don’t believe we can safely assume the defensive line produces at the level of 2021 and 2020 with a bunch of redshirt and true freshmen. 

Underrated: SMU 

Offense tends to be the topic of conversations when SMU is the focal point, but the defensive line inherited by new defensive coordinator Scott Symons is no joke. A four-man front with DeVere Levelston, a first-team All-Texas College selection in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 2022 summer magazine, and Elijah Chatman pairing up at defensive tackle sports a chance at being the best in the AAC. The duo combined for nine sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss in 2021. Add Gary Wiley and Turner Coxe on the edge opposite the emerging Je’Lin Samuels and Jaeden Jones. 

LINEBACKER

Overrated: Baylor 

The worries in Waco focus on the loss of skill position players on offense and stars in the secondary. The return of Dillon Doyle provides a false sense of reality for the Bears on defense. Baylor was so good at linebacker in 2021 because Doyle and Terrel Bernard formed the best one-two combination in Texas. But like a secondary losing its shutdown corner, the loss of Bernard places Doyle in the driver’s seat without a proven co-pilot next to him. LSU transfer Josh White could answer these problems, but he’s yet to prove himself at the collegiate level. There will be a drop off at linebacker for the Bears in 2022, but how big of one? 

Underrated: TCU  

The horrid 2021 output from the TCU defense causes amnesia surrounding the amount of talent in the Horned Frogs’ second level. Dee Winters, a first-team All-Texas College by DCTF, returns to make plays behind (hopefully) an improved defensive front. The new 3-3 stack defense should allow TCU’s linebackers to play freely behind a bigger-bodied defensive line. Jamoi Hodge and Johnny Hodges are expected to flank Winters. The second unit consists of Texas high school football standouts Shadrach Banks, Marcel Brooks, and Terrence Cooks Jr. The upside is there for TCU at linebacker. 

SECONDARY 

Overrated: UTEP

The safety position should be strong, but question marks at cornerback concern me. The Miners do return nickel Dennis Barnes, a second-team All-Texas College selection by DCTF. Free safety Justin Prince is also an experienced player with all-conference potential. Transfer Kobe Hylton is penciled in to start at strong safety. But the answers aren’t so clear at corner. Torey Richardson and Josiah Allen are slated to start. DeShaun Trotter and John Burris III provide depth. 

Underrated: Rice 

Ask the average football fan to rank the best secondaries in Texas and they’re likely to take a long time before mentioning Rice. And they’d be wrong for that. The Owls sport one of the best secondaries in Texas, at least on paper. The team’s best two corners and safeties return. Sean Fresch and Jordan Dunbar are solid cover corners. A healthy George Nyakwol joins the emerging Gabe Taylor at safety. Rice goes two-deep at each of those positions with quality backups. The defensive line is also a strength for the Owls. Their defensive performance likely comes down to the play at linebacker, and the ability to stay healthy.