Texas Football: 3 true freshmen impressing in first week of fall practice

Texas football wrapped up its fourth practice of fall camp on Aug. 5. That was also the first practice closed to the media of the four thus far.

These four practices provide a glimpse into what the Longhorns players look like, the team’s health, and a preview of what the two-deep depth chart could look like. Granted, the depth chart will have some movement in the coming weeks ahead of Week 1 on Sep. 2 against the Rice Owls.

Fall camp also gives us an idea of which newcomers can contribute immediately. Some early-impact transfers and impact-ready true freshmen are pushing for spots on the two-deep, some of which are projected to hold starting jobs.

There are plenty of early-impact true freshmen in the mix for head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns in 2023, largely thanks to the deep and talented recruiting classes this staff hauled in the last two cycles. Texas landed two consecutive top-five-ranked recruiting classes in the nation during the 2022 and 2023 cycles.

Impressive true freshmen for Texas football in Week 1 of fall practice

Many of those players are ready to contribute in live-game action this fall. With that in mind, here’s a look at three true freshmen standing out for the Longhorns after the first week of fall practice.

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Warren Roberson, DB

The former four-star recruit out of Red Oak High School, true freshman defensive back Warren Roberson, received a ton of praise from the first week of fall practice. From various practice reports and even some testaments from his teammates and the coaches, Roberson made a big impression during the first week of training camp.

Sark even specifically mentioned Roberson among the players that have caught his attention heading into the season.

After the first day of fall practice, it was reported that Roberson “looked tremendous physically”. That’s not a surprise, given what we heard during summer workouts. Roberson arrived on campus much more physically ready to compete immediately than advertised during his recruitment.

Roberson is one of the hidden gems among the summer enrollees for the Longhorns in the 2023 class. He looks ready to make an early impact well ahead of schedule. And the type of versatility he brings shouldn’t be undersold. He’s cross-training at safety and nickelback, which are three positions Texas will have to replace starters at next year.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Roberson push for a spot on the two-deep by the end of the 2023 season. If that prediction comes true, watch out for Roberson as a dark horse to push for a starting spot at safety or the star position next fall.