4 Texas football players who will blow up in 2024
A few weeks out from the regular season opener for Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian for the 2024 campaign, this has been a mixed week of news for this squad in preseason camp. While Texas has seen multiple players emerge as big-time impact pieces on both sides of the ball early in training camp, injuries have also impacted the depth chart.
Texas football has the pieces necessary on both sides of the ball to contend for an SEC title this fall
The biggest injury news for the Longhorns this fall camp a couple of weeks into practice was the season-ending torn PCL/LCL that sophomore running back CJ Baxter Jr. suffered earlier this week. Baxter will miss the entire 2024 season due to the knee injury he suffered in team drills in fall practice a few days ago.
All the depth that Tashard Choice and the Longhorns have amassed in the running back room over the last couple of years on the recruiting trail is a symbol of how Sarkisian and staff have strategized building out this roster and program as a whole entering the SEC. Texas has its deepest and most talented roster we've seen in the program in the four years under Sarkisian as the head coach for this upcoming season in 2024.
The competition taking place at many position groups on both sides of the ball for the Longhorns this fall camp will see some new faces step into bigger roles entering the regular season.
Here are three Longhorns players who are bound to blow up during the 2024 season. This list includes Longhorns players who are looking to make a jump to legitimately prove that they are worthy of early-round picks in future NFL Drafts (including 2025 if they're eligible and declare).
Alfred Collins, DL
The returning defensive lineman for the Longhorns who is probably the most talented defensive tackle in the mix early in preseason camp is senior Alfred Collins. Last year, Collins put together his most complete and effective season at defensive tackle for the Longhorns in his career in college.
He was the highest-graded defensive tackle for the Longhorns outside of the top duo of 2024 NFL Draft picks from last season, T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy.
Collins living up to his full potential is the last step for him to fulfill the hype as a former five-star recruit and a possible early-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft next spring.
From everything we've heard coming out of fall practice, Collins is on the right track to have the best season of his collegiate career to date in the SEC this fall. Collins is the star of Texas's defensive tackle room, and one of the returning leaders of this group alongside fellow senior defensive lineman Vernon Broughton.