Texas Football: WR Tarik Black should clearly make Colts roster

Following an impressive NFL preseason debut for a number of former Texas football players last week and weekend, we have some clarity about their potential roles with their new teams. Two notable rookies among Texas Exes in the NFL this year play for the Indianapolis Colts, in quarterback Sam Ehlinger and wide receiver Tarik Black.

Both Ehlinger and Black had solid debuts in the preseason last weekend for the Colts. Ehlinger led an impressive and clutch fourth quarter comeback for the Colts to get the win over the Carolina Panthers on the afternoon of Aug. 15. It was one of the more notable showings by any rookie quarterback in the first week of the preseason.

And one of the top targets that Ehlinger had down the stretch with the Colts in each former Longhorns’ NFL preseason debut last weekend was Black. When it was all said and done, Black was the Colts’ leader in receiving yards. He finished up this game with three receptions for a team-high 67 receiving yards (22.3 yards per catch and a long reception in the game of 47 yards).

Former Texas football graduate transfer Tarik Black shines for the Colts in preseason debut

The only receiver in this game that came up with more receiving yards than Black was the former LSU Tigers star and Panthers rookie Terrace Marshall Jr., who had three catches for 88 yards.

What was even more notable was that Black got all of his receiving yards in the fourth quarter. Ehlinger and Black showed off a special connection, beating the Panthers secondary at multiple levels of the field.

Especially if the Colts are planning on having Ehlinger start in the regular season opener in a few weeks, Black should be a real consideration to make this final roster. Black was one of the undrafted free agent signings for the Colts this year, and he’s showing out well in camp and the preseason thus far.

Ehlinger could be a viable option for the Colts as the Week 1 regular season starter if Carson Wentz is still recovering from surgery. He was better for head coach Frank Reich last weekend than fellow rookie quarterback Jacob Eason.

Moreover, some of the main competition that Black will face at wideout to make the Colts’ final roster includes Dezmon Patmon, Mike Strachan, Ashton Dulin, and Tyler Vaughns. Following this preseason win over the Panthers, it’s clear that Black could be more productive than any of those other wideouts.

For Black, it is now about proving himself on a consistent basis for the rest of the preseason. The path should now be clear for him to at least earn a spot on the final roster, if not make some progress up the depth chart before the regular season kicks off.

The Colts need help at wideout with the veteran T.Y. Hilton starting to see a dip in his career production of late. And unless the former USC Trojans star Michael Pittman Jr. is able to step up this season, someone else is going to have to emerge for whatever quarterback the Colts are sporting to lead the offense early in the regular season.