Texas got an early look at Kobe Black in a new spot, and the first scrimmage offered exactly the kind of flash the Longhorns were hoping for.
Black, a junior who had spent two uneven seasons on the Forty Acres and briefly considered entering the NCAA transfer portal, has shifted from cornerback to safety in a move made during the offseason for returning defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. On Saturday, that change showed up in a big way. Head coach Steve Sarkisian said Black “had a heck of a scrimmage,” and one of the standout moments came on an open-field tackle of redshirt senior running back Raleek Brown.
That play mattered because Brown is usually a tough man to bring down. Last season at Arizona State, he forced 55 missed tackles and picked up 607 yards after contact.
Black’s ability to finish tackles could make him a natural fit at safety, especially since he has been dependable in that area at Texas. In two seasons, Pro Football Focus says he has missed only two tackles, good for a missed tackle rate of 7.1 percent.
The move also gives Texas more flexibility on the back end. Sarkisian pointed to Black’s cornerback background as a real asset for the safety room, saying, “Kobe’s been a nice addition for us there because he gives us position flexibility, right?
His versatility to play man coverage being a corner. I think he’s a very smart player, he’s savvy, he’s got good instincts, and so far so good, right?”
Black’s comfort in the role isn’t new. He played safety at Waco Connally, where he was teammates with Jelani McDonald, who said, “It’s second nature, you know,” when talking about the transition.
Black arrived in Austin with serious expectations after being ranked as a top-40 prospect and a consensus five-star recruit in the 2024 class. Instead of fading further into the disappointment label, he now has a chance to reset his Texas career in a new position and, maybe, finally deliver the breakout that had been expected from the start.
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