One added benefit of signing a top-10 class is that you are likely to find players who can contribute immediately. The Texas Longhorns benefitted from that in 2023 with linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., C.J. Baxter, and Malik Muhhamed among others. This year they have a whole new crew of freshman ready to step in when they hear their number called.
Hill, Baxter, and Muhhamed along with Derek Williams Jr. are all expected to be starters or play a huge role with this team in 2024. Once again there are some freshmen who could be impact players for Steve Sarkisian and the coaching staff.
In a preview of the 2024 college football season, 247Sports put together a list of the top 100 impact true freshmen. This pair of Horns, you should be well acquainted with by now.
Colin Simmons, Edge Rusher
Much has been made about freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons. The Texas product was rated among the 20 best players of the 2024 recruiting cycle. We saw flashes of what he could be in the spring game but there is a lot more we haven’t seen. Much like a season ago with Anthony Hill Jr., Simmons is expected to see the field plenty as they rotate edge rushers behind Trey Moore. No. 11 should be a fan favorite before too long if he isn’t already for those who watched him terrorize teams at the high school level in the Lone Star State.
What 247Sports Says…
Like Anthony Hill a year ago, there’s going to be a role on the defense for Simmons this fall. Simmons is the type of edge-rushing talent Texas has not had in years (Longhorn hasn’t posted more than six sacks in a season since 2018). Simmons has that type of potential and flashed it this spring. He’ll battle with UTSA transfer Trey Moore for playing time but you can bet Simmons will be springing into attack mode come third downs.
Ryan Wingo, Wide Receiver
The Longhorns had work to do in replacing three standout wide receivers, who were all selected in the 2024 NFL draft. Ryan Wingo, the five-star signee from St. Louis, won’t have to play early out of necessity. However, we could see him get into the rotation before too long. He, Johntay Cook II, and DeAndre Moore give the team plenty of young talent to build the offense around.
What 247Sports Says…
There’s a bit more of an uphill battle for Wingo to contribute in 2024 than Simmons. That’s simply because of Texas’ depth at wide receiver, a position at which it added a trio of players in the portal. Still, Wingo (pictured above) looked ready to play in Texas’ spring game when he caught four passes for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He’ll see a decent share of targets from Quinn Ewers and can position himself as a major national breakout candidate in 2025.