Two weeks before the Texas Longhorns kicked off their fall camp, five-star cornerback John Meredith III announced he was reclassifying to the class of 2026, joining the team a season earlier than initially expected.
That was massive news for the Horns' defensive secondary, and it had people giving even more attention to an already highly praised Texas team.
Now, the Longhorns have returned to campus with Meredith in tow, and it took just one practice for the five-star cornerback to realize he wasn't in Kansas anymore.
Meredith is from Fort Worth, so it's not like he isn't used to the Texas heat, but during his first-ever practice with the Horns, he undeniably felt the conditions, the speed, and the power.
Seen on the sidelines during the first day of fall camp, Meredith had to take a brief break. He spoke with Director of Football Performance Torre Becton after spending a moment hunched over during drills on the 98-degree day.
Texas CB John Meredith III appears to still be adjusting to the heat of summer workouts and college-level speed after just recently joining the team. It’s 98 degrees in Austin.
— Zach Dimmitt (@ZachDimmitt7) August 5, 2026
Was talking off to the side with Torre Becton after being hunched over a bit a few moments earlier. pic.twitter.com/bzWsIGdHNy
Even blue-chip prospects have to adjust to college speed and power
No matter who you are or where you are from, the level that college teams play at simply cannot be duplicated at the high school level, especially when you make the jump a year early to play for a powerhouse program like Texas.
Meredith was the top-rated prospect in Texas's class of 2027 before reclassifying, and experts have massive expectations for his future. However, it clearly took just one day on the 40 Acres for him to get a not-so-warm (or maybe too warm) welcome to college.
Freshman CB John Meredith III in practice No. 1 as a Longhorn. pic.twitter.com/FUdTILmhAL
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) August 5, 2026
He returned to practice after his quick reprieve from action and kept pace with the rest of the team. Meredith ran through drills and snaps just like everyone else, showing that he was willing to push through the discomfort, something head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about after camp.
"He’s in real freshman moments right now. I mean, this guy just showed up a week ago, so everything is brand new to him," Sarkisian said. "But I thought he fought through."
Of course, unlike many fellow freshmen on the team, Meredith didn't join the Longhorns in the spring or summer, not reclassifying until June 23, but it likely won't take long for him to get up to speed with the collegiate level of play.
"Getting in shape and competing at the level at which we're competing at is not easy to do, but he's working hard, and there's some positive things," Sarkisian said. "He's a competitive guy, that's for sure, so that showed up today."
Also read: Projecting Texas football's 2026 depth chart before the start of fall camp
No, the first Texas practice of the year probably didn't go to plan for Meredith, but with the competitive edge that Sarkisian is boasting for the freshman, it's only a matter of time until he will be just fine.
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