Instead of enjoying Friday night lights, homecoming parades, and prom, five-star cornerback John Meredith III opted to reclassify and join the Texas Longhorns a season early, forgoing his final year of high school football.
Immediately, the difference between a veteran college football player and a should-be-senior in high school, like Meredith, was readily apparent when he took the field on Day 1 of the Horns' fall camp.
Read more: 5-star CB John Meredith III got a brutal welcome to college at first fall camp with Horns
However, that's something that should be expected when looking at a 17-year-old athlete going up against people who are, at the very least, a year or two older than him. Much less when a cornerback like Meredith is going up against elite veteran receivers like Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo, and more.
The best news? Meredith is there.
The five-star cornerback is on the field, at the practices, and in the weight room, right alongside the rest of the team, putting in the work required to ensure that he would be ready if called upon during a game this season.
In fact, he's so willing to put in the effort that he was spotted doing extra conditioning work with Texas's Director of Football Performance, Torre Becton, as fall camp unfolded.
Extra conditioning for John Meredith III is what he needs
Becton told reporters that "John [Meredith] will be fine" when asked about the current shape of the five-star freshman.
Of course, it's never ideal to see a player bent over at the waist during the first practice of the season. However, Becton's report is a great sign; these things are just what everyone needed to see and hear after witnessing Meredith hunched over and off to the sideline during Day 1.
Even as a five-star prospect and the No. 2 cornerback in the nation, you simply can't be fully prepared for the jump from high school to college football. The two are, quite literally, in different leagues. No matter how fit or conditioned or prepared a true freshman is heading into their first practice, there is an adjustment period required for everyone.
Meredith only reclassified to the class of 2026 in July, joining the Longhorns on campus just a handful of days before fall camp kicked off.
Meanwhile, many of his fellow freshman joined the team in the spring or earlier in the summer, already having a camp or two under their belts with the program.
Give him some time; there is still nearly a full month (29 days, to be exact) until the season kicks off. As Becton said, he will be just fine.
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