3 second-year Texas players ready to make a jump in 2024

At SEC Media Days this week, Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian said that this year's squad is the "deepest" and "most talented" team he's ever had during his time on the Forty Acres over four years so far. Although Texas lost a modern program record of 11 players to the NFL Draft this spring, Sarkisian is still very confident in the roster and depth he's assembled entering the SEC this fall.

Texas football's underclassmen ready to contribute to both sides of the ball in the SEC

Texas has not only done a good job with player development and high school recruiting, but this staff has also done great with cherry-picking talent at key positions of need from the transfer portal in the last few offseasons. The Longhorns clicking on all cylinders is one of the biggest reasons why so many people in the media are picking them to make the SEC Championship Game in 2024.

Sarkisian and staff know that it's not only about the recruiting class rankings and star values with high school recruiting and the transfer portal. Building program culture and having continuity on the coaching staff has translated to a higher level and more consistent player development throughout the last few years than we've seen for the Longhorns in the previous decade in the 2010s.

Texas is no longer in a spot where it needs to rely on true freshman and plug-and-play players from the transfer portal on both sides of the ball. It can now take its time to develop players and build out depth on the two-deep.

Here are three second-year players for the Longhorns bound to develop into more impactful contributors in 2024.

DeAndre Moore Jr., WR

Texas's wide receiver room has a challenging claim for the top spot among the deepest receiving corps in the SEC for the upcoming 2024 season. The Longhorns' go at least two-deep at all three spots in the receiving corps this year.

Among the returning players for the Longhorns receiving corps in 2024, there are only three second-year players in the mix who are vying for more reps this fall. Sophomores DeAndre Moore Jr., Johntay Cook II, and Ryan Niblett are all pushing for better spots on the two-deep this year.

Moore and Cook have the best shots at seeing the field consistently this coming season for the Longhorns among the second-year wideouts in the fold. With Texas losing all three starters in the receiving corps to the NFL Draft this spring, the door has opened for guys like Moore and Cook to make their cases to be full-time starters in 2024.

Moore has a legitimate case to be in contention for the starting slot receiver this coming fall. He had a solid spring and is Texas's most experienced slot option in this specific offensive scheme under Sarkisian, since he's been here on campus for practice reps and limited live-game action since last year.

If Moore proves himself worthy in preseason camp, he has a chance to beat out other contenders pushing for the starting slot receiver role, including Oregon State transfer Silas Bolden and possibly Cook.