Former blue-chip recruit may make a position change for SEC newcomer Texas

The Texas Longhorns saw their running back room go from having arguably one of the most exciting duos in the sport to being in an extremely tough spot.

Former five-star running back CJ Baxter is expected to miss the entirety of the season due to a recent knee injury he suffered. Not only does the injury prevent fans from getting to see Baxter take that next step after a phenomenal freshman season that saw him earn All-America honors, but it forced Texas to look elsewhere to help bolster the room that is as inexperienced as they come.

Leading the way in the room now is junior Jaydon Blue who has 80 career carries for 431 yards and three scores. Tre Wisner is the next back with the most experienced, and he rushed just 12 times during his freshman season in 2023. Behind him are two freshmen in four-star IMG product Jerrick Gibson, and three-star Christian Clark.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian hinted earlier this week that they may need to turn to someone else on the roster at a different position to help out, and on Saturday On Texas Footbal revealed who that person may be. They revealed that former four-star linebacker Derion Gullette was taking reps at running back on Saturday, hinting that he may be switching positions to provide some depth.

As a recruit in the 2023 class, Gullette was ranked as the No. 121 player in the country by 247Sports out of Teague, Texas. He chose the Longhorns over programs like Ohio State, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

He didn't see action this past season, and missed his senior year of high school due to injury. However, during his junior year of high school, he played a ton of offense but saw more time at receiver than running back. He posted 64 catches for 1,458 yards and 14 touchdowns in the passing game, while recording 13 carries for 74 yards and four scores.

Whether or not he will be in the rotation or if this move will be permanent, he does offer some plus size at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds.

Related: Paul Finebaum says Texas is 'positioned incredibly well' to compete in the SEC