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Spring camp is more than halfway over in Austin and one of the developing stories is the standout freshmen. The Longhorn rookies have come ready to roll with seven guys standing out among the heap. Some of those seven are rather predictable but others might surprise some.
Let’s get into the seven players that seem to be making the most of spring:
QB Dia Bell: This comes as no surprise but the five-star freshmen is making the most of his increased snaps with Arch Manning sidelined. It’s assumed he’ll likely redshirt his freshman year but it’s nice to see the young signal caller finding his groove early. That being said, the QB2 competition is truly wide open and Bell could find his way into the mix to backup Arch Manning.
RB Derrek Cooper: To me, Cooper was someone that had to find his footing early on and he seemingly has. He’s already found himself with Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown as the top three RB options. Given he’s a bigger RB than that top duo, he could be valuable early in the season as a true power back. The RB room was rebuilt this offseason and it seems the future is bright with Cooper.
WR Jermaine Bishop Jr.: Bishop is likely the least surprising standout of the bunch. He’s been regarded as one of the best playmakers Sarkisian has recruited to Austin. Despite the depth at WR, it seems Bishop might be impossible to keep off the field. With Kaliq Lockett sidelined, Bishop has a chance to carve out a bigger role heading into the spring game.
The Linebackers: This is the most important standouts. Tyler Atkinson is unsurprising, coming in as the top LB in the country. However, Rocky Cummings and Kosi Okpala have shined early as well in a thin LB room. The LB room is possibly the biggest question mark heading into the season but the freshmen are easing minds in camp.
CB Samari Matthews: This might be the most surprising of the bunch. Matthews, like Jermaine Bishop Jr., was thrown into a rather deep position room and is still making waves. He’s consistently making plays in practice, including an INT in the scrimmage last night, according to Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas. Sarkisian and company have done a remarkable job recruiting the CB position and it seems Matthews is the next great one.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Fabulous Freshman: Texas Football newcomers shining in spring camp
Continue reading...
Let’s get into the seven players that seem to be making the most of spring:
QB Dia Bell: This comes as no surprise but the five-star freshmen is making the most of his increased snaps with Arch Manning sidelined. It’s assumed he’ll likely redshirt his freshman year but it’s nice to see the young signal caller finding his groove early. That being said, the QB2 competition is truly wide open and Bell could find his way into the mix to backup Arch Manning.
RB Derrek Cooper: To me, Cooper was someone that had to find his footing early on and he seemingly has. He’s already found himself with Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown as the top three RB options. Given he’s a bigger RB than that top duo, he could be valuable early in the season as a true power back. The RB room was rebuilt this offseason and it seems the future is bright with Cooper.
WR Jermaine Bishop Jr.: Bishop is likely the least surprising standout of the bunch. He’s been regarded as one of the best playmakers Sarkisian has recruited to Austin. Despite the depth at WR, it seems Bishop might be impossible to keep off the field. With Kaliq Lockett sidelined, Bishop has a chance to carve out a bigger role heading into the spring game.
The Linebackers: This is the most important standouts. Tyler Atkinson is unsurprising, coming in as the top LB in the country. However, Rocky Cummings and Kosi Okpala have shined early as well in a thin LB room. The LB room is possibly the biggest question mark heading into the season but the freshmen are easing minds in camp.
CB Samari Matthews: This might be the most surprising of the bunch. Matthews, like Jermaine Bishop Jr., was thrown into a rather deep position room and is still making waves. He’s consistently making plays in practice, including an INT in the scrimmage last night, according to Eric Nahlin of Inside Texas. Sarkisian and company have done a remarkable job recruiting the CB position and it seems Matthews is the next great one.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Fabulous Freshman: Texas Football newcomers shining in spring camp
Continue reading...
