Countdown to Kickoff: Longhorn's freshman class is story of fall camp

We are Malik Jefferson days away from Texas football and it’s time for another hot take. This time, it’s about a freshman class that has done nothing but shine since getting on campus. It’s known players like Jermaine Bishop Jr., Tyler Atkinson and Derrek Cooper will make an impact this season. I expect fall camp to prove more of these rookies deserve to see the field during fall camp.

The Texas players are slated to report to campus on August 4th and start fall camp the next day. It will be the first time going through a training camp for just two freshmen, Nicolas Robertson and Brinkley Tita. The others were all on campus back in January and have already gained wide-ranging praise. Despite the talent in front of them, I expect multiple to earn more snaps during the month of August. 

Let’s start with the known contributors. Jermaine Bishop Jr. will have an impact on offense as a WR and, in emergency, could be used on the other side. Derrek Cooper is seemingly already pushing for increased carries alongside Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown. Tyler Atkinson, Kosi Okpala and Rocky Cummings have all lived up to the hype, with all three likely to play some type of role this season. Richard Wesley is seemingly angling for the backup spot behind Lance Jackson at DE and Samari Matthews is becoming undeniable on the backend. 

That’s seven freshmen that I can promise will have some type of impact this season. Of those seven, there are two that could increase their time on the field the most heading into the season. It’s Tyler Atkinson and Derrek Cooper. Atkinson’s physical ability has been undeniable from the jump, but it seems the game pace has been a slight issue. If he can find his footing in fall camp, he will be a consistent factor in the LB rotation. Then, as talented as the RB duo for Texas are, I believe Cooper could find his opening and continue to earn snaps early in the season. 

This freshman class has been a massive success thus far. Obviously, it’s all a zero-sum game until September 5th, but it seems Sarkisian and company hit this class out of the park. Bishop Jr., Cooper and Atkinson will be hugely impactful freshmen this season. I don’t expect Richard Wesley, Rocky Cummings and Samari Matthews to be too far behind them. That’s not even to mention names like Kohen Brown, who’s shined throughout the offseason. 

As talented as this Longhorns team is, I believe there are young players that will force their way on the field. It will improve the Longhorns depth and versatility, which can be the championship difference by seasons’ end. August will be an important month for the Longhorns. I expect the biggest storyline coming out of August is this freshman class and what they're capable of in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Longhorn's freshman class is story of fall camp