Most Anticipated Freshmen in Each Fall Camp Under Sark

[CJ Vogel]

Had a thought of which freshman had the most excitement entering each fall camp in the Sarkisian era. There have been some fantastic freshmen talents for the Longhorns over the years and wanted to start the conversation here.

This was the best list I could compile from each season:

2021 – Xavier Worthy

2022 – Kelvin Banks

2023 – Arch Manning OR Anthony Hill Jr.

2024 – Colin Simmons

2025 – Justus Terry 

––

Who is the 2026 season's most anticipated freshman entering fall camp?

I would make the case it is Jermaine Bishop Jr. 

[akhookem]

In the spring I would have said Tyler Atkinson but seems like he isn’t as day 1 ready as Bishop or as we might’ve expected. Derrick Cooper is also an interesting one, but Bishop for this year is for sure the first choice.

[CJ Vogel]

Just now, akhookem said:

In the spring I would have said Tyler Atkinson but seems like he isn’t as day 1 ready as Bishop or as we might’ve expected. Derrick Cooper is also an interesting one, but Bishop for this year is for sure the first choice.

Derrek Cooper definitely in the conversation too! Knowing there is two-way ability for Bishop, he gets the nod for me.

Hopeful for Atkinson to make an impact this fall.

[LostCreekLonghorn]

I think last year’s buzzy freshman was Littleton 

[mmdaytontexas]

17 hours ago, CJ Vogel said:

Had a thought of which freshman had the most excitement entering each fall camp in the Sarkisian era. There have been some fantastic freshmen talents for the Longhorns over the years and wanted to start the conversation here.

This was the best list I could compile from each season:

2021 – Xavier Worthy

2022 – Kelvin Banks

2023 – Arch Manning OR Anthony Hill Jr.

2024 – Colin Simmons

2025 – Justus Terry 

––

Who is the 2026 season's most anticipated freshman entering fall camp?

I would make the case it is Jermaine Bishop Jr. 

CJ, how does Bishop's skill set compare with Aggies' Terry Bussey? They were both celebrated 5-stars with a lot of hype.

[PaulieD]

18 hours ago, CJ Vogel said:

Had a thought of which freshman had the most excitement entering each fall camp in the Sarkisian era. There have been some fantastic freshmen talents for the Longhorns over the years and wanted to start the conversation here.

This was the best list I could compile from each season:

2021 – Xavier Worthy

2022 – Kelvin Banks

2023 – Arch Manning OR Anthony Hill Jr.

2024 – Colin Simmons

2025 – Justus Terry 

––

Who is the 2026 season's most anticipated freshman entering fall camp?

I would make the case it is Jermaine Bishop Jr. 

CJ, do you think we might see JB as a punt or kick returner this year?

[horns96]

As a late addition, I'm not sure Worthy was even on my radar in 2021.  JT Sanders was the 5 star and was the most anticipated.

[CoachScott619]

Insane how skinny he is.

[GQ03]

20 hours ago, mmdaytontexas said:

CJ, how does Bishop's skill set compare with Aggies' Terry Bussey? They were both celebrated 5-stars with a lot of hype.

For me the difference was Bishop was doing some of the same stuff Bussey was doing in 2A/3A at the 6A level in Houston and making teams like Forney & Desoto look slow as he was running past their secondaries. 

[mmdaytontexas]

6 hours ago, GQ03 said:

For me the difference was Bishop was doing some of the same stuff Bussey was doing in 2A/3A at the 6A level in Houston and making teams like Forney & Desoto look slow as he was running past their secondaries. 

Willis was 5a like DeSoto, but I see your point. The competition is much less in 2a versus 5a, so their records and numbers are not the same. However, their skill set and measurables are something outside of records and numbers, don't you agree? The reason I asked the question is that, in both players' recruitment, their skill set in the film clips looked similar to me, and in their camp testings, their measurables were very similar. 

[CJ Vogel]

On 8/4/2026 at 7:10 AM, mmdaytontexas said:

CJ, how does Bishop's skill set compare with Aggies' Terry Bussey? They were both celebrated 5-stars with a lot of hype.

Bishop is significantly shiftier. Bussey added weight, probably too much weight, after arriving in College Station.

[CJ Vogel]

On 8/4/2026 at 7:48 AM, PaulieD said:

CJ, do you think we might see JB as a punt or kick returner this year?

Absolutely!

[Brad Kay]

Cooper and it will sound like we are booing him! But we ain't.

[GQ03]

1 hour ago, mmdaytontexas said:

Willis was 5a like DeSoto, but I see your point. The competition is much less in 2a versus 5a, so their records and numbers are not the same. However, their skill set and measurables are something outside of records and numbers, don't you agree? The reason I asked the question is that, in both players' recruitment, their skill set in the film clips looked similar to me, and in their camp testings, their measurables were very similar. 

Desoto is 5A this coming year but was and has been 6A Division II for the last several years. And for me their skillsets are similar but when one has done it at the highest level TXHSFB has to offer vs another who was doing it against one stoplight town schools they get a few extra points from me and I worry about their transition to P4/SEC football a lot less.

I still remember Traylon Shead putting up stupid numbers in 1A, Tyrone Swoopes as a sophomore making people think he was the next VY/Cam Newton, and Jermie Calhoun of Van looking like the next Adrian Peterson. Needless to say, their small school success didn't translate. 

[Alex Butler]

2 hours ago, Brad Kay said:

Cooper and it will sound like we are booing him! But we ain't.

It’ll be a double entendre for Coop manning this season too lol. 

[mmdaytontexas]

4 hours ago, GQ03 said:

Desoto is 5A this coming year but was and has been 6A Division II for the last several years. And for me their skillsets are similar but when one has done it at the highest level TXHSFB has to offer vs another who was doing it against one stoplight town schools they get a few extra points from me and I worry about their transition to P4/SEC football a lot less.

I still remember Traylon Shead putting up stupid numbers in 1A, Tyrone Swoopes as a sophomore making people think he was the next VY/Cam Newton, and Jermie Calhoun of Van looking like the next Adrian Peterson. Needless to say, their small school success didn't translate. 

Yes, DeSoto was 5a went to 6a and now are 5a again. The point was, regardless if they are 5a or 6a, you were right in the competition disparity between Timpson and Willis. They are different.

However, a measurable and a skill set are the same no matter what the competition is. Adrian Peterson was at 3a Palestine, but his measurables and skill set were not disputable. They translated to a pretty good college and pro career. Production and records are where comparisons are difficult, and subjective observations can be tricky as well because the context of competition.

Bussey and Bishop, however, were both celebrated 5-stars because of their speed, quickness, and elusiveness, in their normal offense and on special teams, not because of their overall numbers or observations against inferior competition. That is why I asked how the compared to each other in the measurables and skill set, and not in production.