Top Five Players That Won't Start on Aug. 30th

Disclaimer: I have not included John Chiles in this list because it has been promised to us by the Texas information machine that the coaches are hard at work trying to get him on the field no matter what, and I fully expect them to at some position.

5. Sam Acho DE: Behind the likes of Brian Orakpo, Henry Melton, and Eddie Jones it is tough to believe that we have this kind of talent at defensive end this far down the depth chart. At any other school, dare I say it, even in the SEC, Acho would not only start, but be a star defensive player. He just has the misfortune of playing at the same time as a bunch of guys that out-mutant him. Acho is not quite the secret some other players on this list are, as he was named one of the Defensive Newcomers of the Year for Horns, but still will struggle to get on the field with the group of future All-Americans he currently sits behind. As a backup last season he registered more sacks than certain starting linebackers, and will likely continue to create havoc in the backfield given the chance.

4. Sherrod Harris QB: Sherrod Harris might be one of the most overlooked players on the roster right now, but had a remarkable showing at the spring game that propelled him up the "replace Colt list." He would be higher up on that list at this point if he had not been injured as a freshman. If you've read anything on this blog you'll know I am a huge supporter of Colt, but there is always the chance that he gets surpassed as the team's top quarterback this season. On top of that,  Colt has to leave the program at some point. If or when either of those do happen I would really like to see Sherrod take over. He's got a strong arm, currently sufficient vision (and I mean that as a compliment at this level), and can effectively use his legs as a weapon. In the mean time, he will hopefully continue to be a tough competitor for snaps against both John Chiles and Colt McCoy.

3. Chykie Brown CB: If you have ever seen Chykie Brown in person, you really get the idea that he can destroy anyone at any sport. Extreme checkers, underwater hockey, you name it. Maybe the best part of Chykie (pronounced "Shockey") is that at 6'1, no ABC announcer will ever refer to him as "undersized." You'd think with our current squad of lollypop kids, that it is a requirement to be well under 6' in order to be a cornerback for Texas. To compliment his size and physical abilities, he already has good sense and the kind of bridled aggression you like to see out of a defensive back. Unfortunately for us and him, he will most likely be watching senior Ryan Palmer and the very talented junior Deon Beasley trotting out in front of him on August 30th.

2. Sergio Kindle LB: With the amount of hype Sergio Kindle received coming out of high school, it is unbelievable to me that he is going to be a junior this season. I remember seeing his recruiting videos almost three years ago and thinking that he was going literally kill some poor Rice slot receiver at some point in his career at Texas. He's scary big, fast, has a killer instinct, but unfortunately either very unlucky or very breakable. Kindle simply hasn't been healthy long enough to be the haymaker at linebacker that  EVERYONE seems to know he can be. He will have a heck of a time passing up senior linebacker Rashad Bobino, given Texas' affinity for seniority. Here's to hoping Kindle stays healthy, and has a good enough summer to get some serious play time.

1.  Fozzy Whittaker RB: This might be my favorite player associated with all of Texas football. I mean, he plays the tuba and has has a dog, two turtles, a ferret, and a catfish named "whopper." A catfish. Named "whopper." Not only is he wildly eclectic, he's also a pretty phenomenal running back. He will only be a sophomore, but already he has shown his ability to break open plays and get huge gains on any play, any down. It'll be tough for him to get a ton of carries over the more experienced Vondrell McGee, but expect him put up some pretty gaudy stats, especially in the per carry column. 

Thoughts? Leave a comment or send me an email at texaswhisperchant (at) gmail (dot) com.