We're less than two full months away from the 2025 regular season, and it's time to start looking at some of the Longhorns' redshirt freshmen and sophomores who could be a lot more productive in their respective roles heading into year 2.
Whether it's due to their recruiting hype or the fact that there's a clear role for them to lock down this year, here are four players who could break out in 2025 if given the opportunity.
WR Parker Livingstone (R-Fr.) 6'4", 191 pounds
2024 stats: Played in 4 games before redshirting.
Livingstone was a 3-star wide receiver in last year's class out of Lovejoy HS in Lucas, TX. He has a great work ethic, and the coaching staff loves his size and length at the position. A non-blue-chip player seeing any form of legitimate action as a true freshman at the University of Texas is incredible.
He had a great spring this year, and if he can hold off some of the team's new 5-star receivers, Livingstone has a legitimate chance to be the Longhorns' WR4 in 2025 if he impresses in fall camp.
OG Nate Kibble (R-Fr.) 6'3", 325 pounds
2024 stats: No game action before redshirting.
Like Livingstone, Kibble was a 3-star player in the 2024 recruiting class for Texas. He spent his freshman year learning behind the likes of Kelvin Banks Jr., Cameron Williams, and Jake Majors.
It's no secret that the Longhorns' starting offensive line unit is already set and looks very good, but depth is a different story. If Kibble continues to grow and performs well in camp, he could end up being the top backup at both offensive guard spots in 2025.
DT Alex January (So.) 6'5", 311 pounds
2024 stats: Played in 11 games, recorded 3 total tackles.
January was a high 3-star defensive tackle last year and stood out in spring practice as a true freshman, not just for his size but for his athleticism and "pop" at the point of attack. He's also a great hand-fighter and has a great feel for shedding blocks with his upper body.
He's one of the only returning interior defensive linemen to play over 100 snaps in 2024, and can play anywhere between the B gaps. Despite the team adding a plethora of defensive tackles in the transfer portal, he could end up being a key rotational piece inside for DC Pete Kwiatkowski and Co. this season.
CB Kobe Black (So.) 6'2", 197 pounds
2024 stats: Played in all 16 games, recorded 13 total tackles and 1 pass deflection.
Black was a 4-star cornerback in the 2024 class that sucked Texas in with his prototypical size, length, and ball skills for the position.
It didn't take him long to see the field as a true freshman, and he did a fairly good job in whatever situation the team put him in last season. The starting cornerback position opposite Malik Muhammad is wide open as of right now, and Black should be able to step into that role as long as he doesn't experience a sophomore slump. A starting defensive backfield of Muhammad, Black, Jaylon Guilbeau, Michael Taaffe, and Jelani McDonald sounds very intriguing.