Countdown to Kickoff: Simmons, Jackson lead talented Texas EDGE group

As we continue making our way to the Texas season, just 54 days between us and the Texas State matchup. We are back breaking down the depth chart of the Longhorns heading into the season. We’ve made our way to a fascinating position group, the edge defenders. Colin Simmons is the leader and one of the best players in the country, but does Texas have the depth to fill the gaps? 

Here is the way I see the depth roughly breaking down this season:

Colin Simmons is the best player in this unit and the best player on the team. He’s going to be the player offenses have at the top of their scouting reports each week. He’s going to be a force this season and I expect him to rack up another double-digit sack season. Lance Jackson will be on the other side as the true defensive end. He seems to be the perfect heir to Ethan Burke’s spot, given his length and ability to play the run effectively. This is a duo that could be constantly taking over games for Texas this season. 

COLIN SIMMONS SACK ON 3RD DOWN!!! pic.twitter.com/PrdrRja5X7

— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) October 18, 2025

There will be relatively constant rotation at this position, although don’t expect Simmons off the field much. Zina Umeozulu seems to have had as good an offseason as anyone, earning the EDGE3 spot, backing up Colin Simmons. Colton Vasek, if healthy, is a fantastic backup option to Lance Jackson, but that has been a rather massive “if” in the past. 

It seems true freshman Richard Wesley has earned playing time, but there will likely still be a learning curve in the early parts of the season. If he can overcome that early in the season, he could factor in with Vasek, backing up Jackson. Brad Spence is another name to know, simply because he’s too good to keep off the field and Texas will likely employ two LBs the majority of the time. I expect Spence to be used in possible “NASCAR” packages on long 3rd downs. 

ZINA UMEOZULU SACK. 🤘 pic.twitter.com/5dJ2LpjHqT

— Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) September 13, 2025

Finally, I do see this trio as “specialty options” in certain situations. Justus Terry is listed as a DT and will play the majority of his time there. However, his length and athleticism could allow him to factor into the rotation at the defensive end spot. Jamarion Carlton is another freshman that has been impressive and could find the field later in the season at defensive end. Finally, Smith Orogbo is likely to see the least snaps of the group but could very well find time against Texas State and UTSA, and I believe he’ll shine when he’s out there. 

The Texas DE/EDGE pipeline: Colin Simmons, Lance Jackson. Zina Umeozulu, Colton Vasek, Smith Orogbo, Richard Wesley, Jamarion Carlton, Brinley Tita, Cam Hall, Derwin Fields, JaBarrius Garror, and maybe one more if he’s elite. Sheesh. Four bona fide NFL players at minimum.

— EricInsideTexas (@EricNahlin) June 12, 2026

This group, to me, has one of the highest ceilings of any group on the team. Colin Simmons is a known-elite player off the edge. Lance Jackson could take the next step forward and become a top EDGE heading into 2027. Umeozulu and Vasek could take that next step forward and provide capable, experienced depth. Spence and Terry give them versatility to mess around with packages and alignment of the other EDGEs. Finally, Carlton, Wesley and Orogbo all bring remarkable athleticism to the table as freshmen. 

If you can guarantee Umeozulu, Jackson and Vasek play to their potential, this could be the most disruptive group in the country. The worry is if they miss the mark, it could be Colin Simmons needing to shoulder too much of the load. I expect the needed players to step up and the Texas pass rush to be one of the best in the country this season. 

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Simmons, Jackson lead talented Texas EDGE group