Troy Franklin was sure he knew what his role would be in his first season at North Texas until just a few days ago.

Draylen Ross

Franklin was recruited as an offensive lineman by UNT and put on weight in anticipation of starting his career as a backup offensive tackle. That plan changed when UNT’s coaches brought Franklin in and told him that he would begin his career at defensive tackle after a series of offseason events shuffled the Mean Green’s roster.

Franklin and Draylen Ross were not on UNT’s two-deep depth chart just a few weeks ago, but now each seems likely to play a major role on a defensive front that could be one of the Mean Green’s biggest concerns heading into the season.

UNT returns a pair of key contributors at tackle in Joseph Miller and Isaac Thomas, but will depend on several inexperienced players in Ross, Franklin, Jesse DeSoto, Jordan Scoggins and possibly Charlie Brown to complement those players at defensive tackle.

Brown can play either tackle or end in the Mean Green’s scheme. Jonathan Stewart, another player who has spent time at defensive tackle during his career, is moving to defensive end, a position that head coach Todd Dodge said better fits his abilities.

“It was always a question of whether I would play defensive line or offensive tackle,” Franklin said. “I was prepared for the change. We need more depth at defensive tackle.”

Those needs became even greater in the offseason when Thomas suffered a blood clot in his leg. Thomas recovered from the injury, but has suffered through a series of health problems throughout his career, including a severe case of dehydration before the 2005 season.

Thomas’ best season came last year when he posted 28 tackles in 11 games. Miller is UNT’s only returning player who had a sack last season, when he finished with 3.5.

Both Franklin and Ross possess the physical tools to contribute and help the Mean Green put together a viable four-man rotation at tackle. Ross, who spent part of his career at tight end, now weighs 295 pounds. Franklin is listed at 277.

“This is a lot bigger than I have been,” Ross said. “I was up to 302, but summer workouts brought me down. I really feel like I am where I need to be after the hard work I put in over the summer. I understand my role and the concept of the defense. I am trying to put it all together with speed, quickness and power all in one direction.”

Ross was one of the players UNT head coach Todd Dodge mentioned while reviewing the Mean Green’s options on its defensive line in his preseason press conference, when he expressed confidence in his young tackles.

Dodge said Franklin, sophomore Jesse DeSoto, redshirt freshman Jordan Scoggins and freshman Tevinn Cantley give the Mean Green several options. Each player has strengths that will make him the best option in certain situations, whether it be providing a pass rush or holding the point of attack in short-yardage situations.

“We can get a four-man rotation,” Dodge said. “Among the tackles there are some specialty guys. There are some numbers there we didn’t have in the spring. When you watch them stretch, there are some that look like college defensive tackles.”

Franklin is learning about how to take advantage of the physical abilities that made him a top college football prospect both as an offensive and defensive lineman. UNT and Tulsa recruited Franklin as an offensive lineman, while Colorado State recruited him as a defensive lineman, his primary position in high school.

“I am learning a lot in two-a-days,” Franklin said. “I played defensive line in high school. It’s not that big of a switch, but I am learning more and more about technique than I ever did in high school. In high school you just played gaps. In college it’s more about the technique you play.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .