Sporting No. 15 for the Texas A&M Aggies defense from 2014-2016, Myles Garrett was a name that haunted opposing quarterbacks, tallying 32.5 sacks and forcing seven fumbles in his three collegiate years.

Now wearing No. 95 for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, none of that has changed in the slightest.

Since being taken first overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Myles Garrett has been a cornerstone of the Browns’ defense — one of the fiercest in the entire league. As a team that plays their home games at the “Dawg Pound,” that shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Garrett has made his presence felt in the pros since 2017, already racking up 88.5 sacks and forcing 17 fumbles — being named an NFL All-Pro in nearly every year since then, including a first-teamer in 2020, 2021 and 2023.

Garrett’s defense prowess was truly realized in 2023, when his 14 sacks, four forced fumbles and 42 total tackles won him his first-ever NFL Defensive Player of the Year award ahead of T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons.

With the prestige, many expect him to rank high on the NFL’s annual Top 100 Players list, which is voted on by the pros themselves.

The five-time Pro Bowler must’ve done quite a job terrorizing opposing offenses, as he was ranked fifth on the list this year, the highest ranked Aggie football player ever on the list.

The Cleveland Browns finished second in the AFC North in 2023 with an 11-6 record, two games behind the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns had to push through injuries to stars such as quarterback Deshaun Watson and running back Nick Chubb, but the defense was able to lead the Browns to the playoffs, where they came up short to the Houston Texans.

This year’s No. 1 NFL player was Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, followed by MVP Lamar Jackson, Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.

Safe to say, Garrett is in good company.

Summer camps have kicked off across the SEC, which means the start of a football season unlike any other is just a few weeks away. For the first time, 12 teams will qualify for the College Football Playoff. Texas hopes to earn a spot after going 12-2 a year ago and qualifying for its first CFP.

Got questions about the Longhorns and their debut season in the SEC? We have some answers.

Wait, the SEC? Is this part of the college realignment I’ve been hearing about?

Why, yes, it is. After a courtship that lasted years, Texas — along with Red River rival Oklahoma — finally left the Big 12 and joined the SEC on July 1, giving the nation’s best football conference 16 teams.

How is joining the SEC good for Texas?

More money in the coffers is always good for any athletic department, and Texas’ move to the SEC will approximately double what the athletic department made in television revenue as a member of the Big 12. And yes, the SEC is really good at football. In fact, SEC schools have won 13 of the past 18 national championships.

More: Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator Kyle Flood enjoying depth on offensive line

Where does Texas fit in with the rest of the SEC?

The SEC did away with its two divisions after expansion, since the conference wants to ensure all league members play each other at least once in a four-year span. And they haven’t committed to a long-term plan when it comes to scheduling. All the Longhorns know is that they will play Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi State in each of the next two seasons. Also, SEC officials have all but guaranteed that Texas will get rivals Texas A&M and Oklahoma every year.

Who will be tougher to beat: Oklahoma or Texas A&M?

Well, the Sooners have a pretty salty defense, but they’re replacing quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who lit up the Longhorns in a 34-30 Oklahoma win last season. At least Texas will have half the crowd behind it when the teams meet again in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 12. That won’t be the case when the Longhorns visit Texas A&M on Nov. 30. It’s been 13 years since the last game between the bitter rivals, and the Aggies will be out for blood.

More: Even without complete continuity on defense, Pete Kwiatkowski ready for Texas’ 2024 season

Are those the most challenging SEC games on the schedule?

Unfortunately for Texas, nope. Georgia, which has won two national championships in the past three seasons, will visit Austin on Oct. 19. The Bulldogs will probably start the season as the nation’s No. 1 team, and they boast a loaded roster as well as a sizable chip on their shoulder pads after being passed over for one of the four CFP spots a year ago.

What makes Georgia so good?

The Bulldogs might have the best defense in the nation, and they might just have the country’s best quarterback in Carson Beck — if it’s not Quinn Ewers, the Longhorns’ three-year starter. In fact, the Heisman Trophy race might come down to this game. Whoever performs best and gets the win could be the front-runner.

Besides A&M and OU, what SEC road trips does Texas have?

Two more, and both seem manageable. Although a visit to Fayetteville, Ark., is never pleasant for Texas, the Razorbacks look a bit down. And Vanderbilt seems to always be down; surviving a Friday night on Nashville’s Lower Broadway looks tougher than a Saturday game against the Commodores.

More: Best of the SEC: How Texas linebackers stack up as we rank all 16 conference teams

Who’s the most dangerous of the other three SEC teams visiting Austin?

It’s not Mississippi State, since the Bulldogs are again rebuilding behind first-year head coach Jeff Lebby. Florida has the name brand and winning legacy, but the Gators haven’t found much traction under third-year coach Billy Napier. But watch out on Nov. 23 for Kentucky and one of the best defensive front sevens in the country. Longtime coach Mark Stoops is one of the nation’s top defensive minds, and the Wildcats could make things uncomfortable for a Texas squad that might be peeking ahead at the trip to College Station.

What if Texas makes the SEC title game?

Since there are no more divisions in the conference, the top two teams in the standings will meet for the SEC title and an automatic berth in the CFP. That means Texas could face Georgia in a rematch if the Longhorns can navigate their tricky conference schedule. Ole Miss and Alabama will make a strong case for the SEC title game, too; head coach Lane Kiffin has added to a talented Ole Moss roster with an impressive portal haul while new coach Kalen DeBoer inherits a loaded Alabama squad from the retired Nick Saban. And keep an eye on Missouri, an SEC dark horse with a proven quarterback in Brady Cook.

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers aren’t just treading water, they’re starting to slip under.

The Boston Red Sox had 16 hits, including six for extra-bases, to outslug Texas 11-6 Friday at Globe Life Field.

The Rangers (52-58) have lost three consecutive games and dropped to six games below .500. Both the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners won to push Texas to 5.5 games back in the American League West.

José Ureña stepped up to fill a rotation hole on Friday but it did not go well. The right-hander was touched for seven runs on eight hits in four-plus innings. Wilyer Abreu’s two-run homer in the second gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. After Texas reclaimed a 3-2 lead after a two-run third, Boston scored four times in the fourth after starting the inning four consecutive hits. Nick Sogard’s two-run single gave Boston a 6-3 lead. Jarren Duran led off the fifth with a triple to right and that was it for Ureña.

Corey Seager was 3 for 3 with two home runs and three RBI. It’s Seager second multi-homer game of the season. He also had two homers at Minnesota on May 26. Seager became the 14th shortstop in MLB history (since 1901) to record five or more seasons of at least 20 or more homers. Orioles Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is the all-time leader with 12 such seasons.

The Rangers have yet to announce Saturday’s starter against Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck (8-7, 2.79) at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.

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