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Josh Pate has high hopes for Cedric Baxter this season.
Texas running back Cedric Baxter is expected to make an immediate impact for the Longhorns as a true freshman this season. Continue reading “Texas RB Cedric Baxter among college football’s 13 impact true freshman for 2023”
ESPN recently ranked the top 25 true freshmen in college football this season.
There’s no doubt that Texas is a much-improved team this season compared to the 5-7 campaign a year ago. Continue reading “Texas Football: Two Longhorns among ESPN’s top true freshmen”
These freshmen look like they can contribute early on.
The first year of the Steve Sarkisian era did not go according to plan for the Longhorns. Texas took a late-season tumble, failing to qualify for a bowl game with a mere 5-7 record.
Texas oversaw a roster revamp over the offseason using both the transfer portal and recruiting ranks to improve the talent on the team. The Longhorns signed the No. 5 overall class in the 2022 cycle.
Adding depth and talent to the trenches was a major point of emphasis for the Texas staff. The Longhorns bolstered the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball with five-star offensive lineman Kelvin Banks and Devon Campbell, along with four-star edge rushers Justice Finkley and J’Mond Tapp.
The incoming freshman class is loaded with talented players ready to compete for playing time early on. Last season Xavier Worthy broke out as a freshman All-American for the Horns.
Here are three true freshmen who have already begun to turn heads in fall camp looking to replicate that success.
Roll Tide Wire previews ten freshmen that have the potential to make an instant impact for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama fans have become accustomed to true freshmen having an immediate impact when they arrive on campus. Players like DeVonta Smith, Tua Tagovailoa and Will Anderson Jr. all made early contributions during their freshman seasons at Alabama.
During last year’s recruiting cycle, Coach Saban and his staff were able to bring in a top-tier recruiting class. The class was highlighted by some of the nation’s best players like quarterback Ty Simpson, edge rusher Jeremiah Alexander and offensive tackle Tyler Booker.
This year could be difficult for the freshmen to see the field, but it isn’t out of the question. Some positions still have battles like offensive tackle and wide receiver.
Today, Roll Tide Wire will take a look at five freshmen that Alabama fans should keep an eye on for the upcoming season.
Athlon Sports names Oklahoma Sooners Nick Evers a “true freshman quarterback to watch” in 222.
While it’s hard to imagine what Sooners true freshman Nick Evers was thinking about four months ago, his life has changed pretty dramatically since.
Four months ago, he was a Florida commit and looked pretty locked into the Gators, who were finishing up a rocky season, which led to head coach Dan Mullen being fired.
Not long after, he was recruited heavily by Jeff Lebby to come to the University of Oklahoma. Evers would flip from Florida to the Sooners and sign during the early signing period.
Another month passed and he’s now a full-time student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma, enrolled, and working out with his new team.
Now, he finds himself on Athlon Sports’ list of true freshmen quarterbacks to watch for 2022.
It’s been a wild ride but one Evers’ has handled well. However, Dillon Gabriel is firmly entrenched as the starter according to Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. That makes a lot of sense considering Gabriel has spent his freshman year in Lebby’s system and has three years of collegiate football experience. No other quarterback on the roster has thrown a meaningful pass in college football. This is where Athlon Sports thinks Evers has a shot to play this year.
Oklahoma’s quarterback room was hit hard by transfers this offseason. Spencer Rattler departed for South Carolina, and Caleb Williams joined former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley at USC. The new Sooner staff used the portal to land a starter (Dillon Gabriel from UCF), but depth behind him is thin. If Gabriel has to miss major time this year, Evers could get the call as the starter. – Steve Lassan, Athlon Sports
They would be correct. There’s no reason to doubt that Evers is likely QB2 after the Sooners break for summer after spring ball. What’s most important is that Evers will need to be coached as if he is going to be the starter simply due to the fact the Sooners do not have the requisite bodies or experience behind him. What Evers does have is raw talent.
The Sooners would be wise to hit the post-spring practice transfer portal for another seasoned quarterback. Even with that as a possible solution that’s not a given because selling someone on coming in to be the backup would be hard.
Assuming that they can’t, Evers development looms large and it’ll be on Jeff Lebby, Matt Holecek (offensive support analyst that helped with QBs at Ole Miss under Lebby), and Brent Venables to prepare the former four-star from Flower Mound, Texas.
Evers is a true dual-threat with a very live arm. He still needs some seasoning and rounding out of his game. A winter and spring with Jerry Schmidt will help him physically mature but getting reps against an actual defense is where we will really see the maturation of the signal caller truly happen.
The Sooners season could hinge on the readiness of their backup quarterback as you’re always just one play from the starter going down for an extended period of time. The Sooners brain trust will have to put a concerted effort into making sure Evers is at least ready to not just play but also succeed in case of an emergency.
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Devon Campbell is a talent that will be hard to keep off the field.
Texas offensive line signee Devon Campbell has been named to 247Sports All-Impact Team. The team is comprised of 2022 recruits they believe will play right away next fall.
It is easy to see why Campbell will potentially start in his freshman season. The five-star has freakish athletic ability paired with a college-ready frame at 6-foot-3, 310 pounds.
The path to playing time might be easier than most years on the offensive line as Texas lots two starters from a unit that struggled mightily last season.
One of the main challenges possibly holding back Campbell from seeing the field early is he will not enroll until the summer, but Texas saw Xavier Worthy establish himself as a star on the Texas offense in a similar situation.
If Campbell can become a solid starter early in his career on the 40 acres, it would go a long way towards an improved season in 2022.
Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.
Just after the midway point of the season, 3 Oklahoma Sooners land on ESPN’s midseason all-true freshman team.
Jumping out to a 7-0 record in 2021 hasn’t been an easy task for the Oklahoma Sooners. Five of their wins have come in one-score games. They’ve won defensive battles (Nebraska and West Virginia), held on to win (Tulane), won a back and forth matchup with Kansas State, before winning in comeback fashion against Texas. Their win over TCU wasn’t their largest point differential, but it is the most convincing win on the Oklahoma Sooners resume through the first five games of 2021.
At times it’s taken a total team effort and has required several true freshmen to step up and contribute, possibly before anyone expected.
Just after the midway point of 2021, ESPN’s Tom Luginbill and Tom VanHarren selected their all-true freshman team for the first half of the season. Oklahoma had three players selected to the squad.
Let’s take a look at who makes the team.
The Oklahoma Sooners have been the beneficiary of yet another standout true freshman wide receiver a year after Marvin Mims led the Sooners in receiving.
The Oklahoma Sooners have hit home runs lately in their recruiting. So well, that several true freshmen have been able to contribute early. Last year saw Marvin Mims and Seth McGowan play key roles for the Oklahoma Sooners.
In 2021, the Sooners are getting contributions again from a true freshman wide receiver in Mario Williams.
Brad Shepard of Bleacher Report highlighted the best true freshmen in college football through the first three weeks of the season and Mario Williams was featured.
All the 5’9″, 186-pounder has done in Norman is squeeze his way onto a crowded depth chart, where he’s the No. 3 receiver on the title-contending Sooners. Quarterback Spencer Rattler and OU’s passing attack hasn’t gotten going yet, sitting 87th in yards per game, and though Marvin Mims (168) and Jadon Haselwood (127) have higher yardage totals than Williams, it isn’t by much. – Shepard
Williams has had a key role in the offense each of the first three weeks of the season with veteran Theo Wease out of action with an injury. Williams was the most targeted wide receiver in week one as the offense attempted to get the bubble screen going against Tulane. In week two, he led the team in receiving before halftime when the starters were still playing against Western Carolina. In week three, though Jadon Haselwood led the way in targets, Williams was just behind him with five of his own.
In the first three games of the season, he’s failed to see fewer than four targets and he’s just behind Haselwood for the team lead in targets and receptions.
Mario Williams has taken full advantage of his opportunity and will continue to make plays in the passing game. He provides the Sooners with another downfield threat but can make plays after the catch in the short or intermediate parts of the field as well.
While teams attempt to take away Marvin Mims in the passing game, and Jadon Haselwood has emerged as a threat as well, opportunities abound for the fab freshman wide receiver. As teams attempt to take away the deep passing game, the Sooners will continue to look to Mario Williams to make plays with the ball in his hands. And through three games this season, there’s no reason to believe he won’t continue to do so.
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Lincoln Riley has made it a habit of finding production from true freshmen over the years and Mario Williams looks to be the next productive first-year player for the Sooners.
Sooners’ wideout Mario Williams has been named to ESPN’s 2021 preseason true freshman All-America team (subscription required). A consensus four-star recruit from Tampa, Florida, Williams cracks ESPN’s list just three days after being named to 247Sports’ true freshman team.
The attention Williams is receiving is well deserved. The first year Sooner has spent training camp carving his way into an offense that also features Marvin Mims (a member of ESPN’s 2020 preseason true freshman All-American team – subscription), Theo Wease, and a healthy Austin Stogner.
While his exact role within such a talented offense is yet to be determined, Lincon Riley’s track record with true freshmen receivers has earned the benefit of the doubt.
✌️ feet in.@MarioWill00 #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/6RqA90fgGW
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) August 6, 2021
Although he’s tied with Major Nelson as the smallest receiver on the roster, Williams possesses tremendous field awareness. He finished his career at Plant City High School with 41 touchdowns. Receivers don’t post those numbers without knowing how to work the sideline.
Williams will attract attention no matter where he lines up on the field. This is great news for Oklahoma’s more established receivers.
The route concepts that Lincoln Riley could insert him into should be terrifying for OU’s opponents to think about. A safety or corner covering Williams on an out-breaking route will have to blanket him all the way through the sideline, rendering them unable to help with Mims or Wease in the middle of the field.
The Sooners have made a habit of getting production out of freshman pass catchers over the years. They’re primed to continue that trend into 2021 and beyond.
Just yesterday, the Oklahoma Sooners secured a commitment from five-star prospect Brandon Innis. Innis, like Williams, is also from Florida and is ranked the No. 1 receiver in the class of 2023 by ESPN and Rivals.
The Oklahoma Sooners are deep at the wide receiver position, but with the way he’s impressed in spring and fall camp, Mario Williams may force his way onto the field in 2021.
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Mario Williams named to 247Sports All-True Freshman team ahead of the 2021 season.
The Oklahoma Sooners have made it a habit of getting high quality production from true freshman wide receivers over the years.
As a freshman, CeeDee Lamb caught 46 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns for the Sooners. In 2020, it was Marvin Mims taking the world by storm when he led Oklahoma with 37 catches for 610 yards and nine touchdowns.
Looking ahead to the 2021 season, Cooper Petagna of 247Sports selected Mario Williams to his All-True Freshman team ahead of the 2021 season.
Already loaded with an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position, the Sooners will add yet another playmaker into the fold of their dynamic offense this season with former Under Armour All-American Mario Williams. It can be difficult to see where Williams will fit in Lincoln Riley’s vision for this year’s passing attack, but the same could have been said for then-freshman Marvin Mims last season, who ended the season last year as the Sooners’ leading receiver I’ll leave it to Lincoln Riley to figure it out. – Petagna
Williams has been one of the stand outs of the Oklahoma Spring and Fall camps. He’s made highlight reel catches getting first team reps. Williams has made a strong impression and should push for playing time.
Though it’s unlikely that he’ll get enough snaps to do what CeeDee Lamb and Marvin Mims did as true freshmen, he’ll still have an impact.
With Williams downfield ability and excellent hands, the Sooners coaching staff will get him on the field early in the season to see how he responds to the opportunities. As he continues to adapt to life at the collegiate level, Williams will earn more and more opportunities for meaningful snaps.
