The Texas Longhorns have maintained their status as DLU over the last few years, dominating the recruiting trail and at the line of scrimmage when it comes to their defensive line.
That much was definitely true when head coach Steve Sarkisian landed a commitment from five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry, the No. 2 DL in the class of 2025. Immediately, he made an impact, appearing in 10 games during his true-freshman season.
While he wasn't a starter in 2025, everyone learned his name. After Day 2 of fall camp ahead of Terry's sophomore season, senior defensive Hero Kanu couldn't stop singing his praises.
"One of the guys I'm most impressed with. He's definitely a generational talent," Kanu said about Terry. "Really, really good guy. Obviously, [he's] gotta stay healthy and everything... He's doing his job, coming along, following the lead, and he's gonna be just fine."
Of course, as a sophomore, Terry simply has less experience than other players on the roster, especially when compared to someone like Kanu, who has started in 12 games since transferring to Texas from Ohio State.
Justus Terry is doing everything to trend toward a starting role
In 2025, Terry earned eight total tackles (four solo), including 1.5 tackles for loss. While those aren't exactly numbers worthy of writing home about, they were the first flashes of brilliance for the true-freshman defensive lineman.
Now, listed at 14 pounds bigger (going from 275 to 289 pounds) than when he entered college, Terry is not just putting the work in on the field, but in the weight room as well.
Being good at football is about more than just being built for it. It's about being dedicated to the sport, keeping yourself healthy, and putting in the effort to make sure that your body is actually ready for in-game action.
According to Kanu, that is exactly what he has seen out of Terry over the last year.
"When you talk about size and athletic ability, at the end of the day, you can have all the talent in the world, but it can only get you so far. But at the end of the day, you've gotta be out there, making plays, and you've gotta put your potential to use," Kanu said. "I've got high expectations for him."
More likely than not, Terry is still a year away from earning a consistent starting role for the Longhorns, most likely backing up Kanu throughout the 2026 season, barring any devastating injuries on Texas's defensive line.
Read more: Projecting Texas football's 2026 depth chart before the start of fall camp
However, if things continue to trend in the direction that Kanu has seen, it will be impossible to deny Terry's "generational" impact on the game in the future.
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