Who is going to step up for Texas opposite Colin Simmons ? All-American OT Trevor Goosby reveals two candidates.
The SEC held its media days this week, and Texas Longhorns All-American offensive tackle Trevor Goosby offered some telling insight into which pass rushers are poised to make a major impact alongside star edge rusher Colin Simmons in 2026.
Goosby named Lance Jackson and Zina Umeozulu as the two players who give him the most difficult time in practice. This revealing answer could foreshadow the Longhorns' defensive end rotation this fall.
Texas brought Goosby, quarterback Arch Manning , and Simmons to represent the program at media days. While Manning and Simmons drew the expected attention, it was a question directed at Goosby about life in practice that generated some of the most interesting takeaways for the Longhorns heading into the season.
When asked which players outside of Simmons give him the toughest reps, Goosby didn't hesitate.
"I would probably say Lance Jackson and Zina Umeozulu," Goosby said. "Those players are super athletic, super long guys. Their long arms are killer. Those are probably the two biggest ones."
That answer should be music to the ears of Longhorn fans. With Simmons holding down the JACK position in the Texas defense, the defensive end spot on the opposite side is expected to belong to Jackson and Umeozulu, per multiple sources. Both were highly recruited players, and both appear ready to step into the spotlight.
Jackson, who stands at 6-5, 255 pounds, is the younger brother of former Arkansas standout Landon Jackson . Considered a five-star player coming out of the 2025 recruiting class, Lance has been waiting for his opportunity. His freshman season produced 2 tackles for loss and 2 sacks, modest numbers for a player with his talent ceiling. With Ethan Burke and others now off to the NFL, that opportunity has arrived.
Umeozulu is another pass rusher who has had to wait his turn. The redshirt sophomore stands at 6-5, 264 pounds and was revered for his raw athleticism and upside coming out of the 2024 recruiting class. Like Jackson, he recorded 2 sacks last season with an additional 3 tackles for loss.
The physical profile is hard to ignore. Both players bring the kind of length and explosiveness that make life difficult for offensive tackles, and Goosby's comments confirm that the traits translate in practice.
Any early 2027 NFL mock draft has Simmons projected inside the top 10 overall players. Opposing offenses will game plan around him, which means production from the opposite edge will determine whether the Texas pass rush reaches its ceiling. Jackson and Umeozulu have the talent to capitalize on that attention.
This is a young defense in certain areas, and the defensive end spot opposite Simmons is one of those spots. The question now is whether these two young pass rushers live up to the hype that Goosby put on them this week at SEC media days.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Trevor Goosby reveals the 2 Texas pass rushers that are ready to terrorize quarterbacks opposite Colin Simmons
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