Texas Football: 5 Players Poised to Break out in 2015

Down 10 starters from last year's squad, the Texas Longhorns will have plenty of opportunity for players to step up and break out in 2015, including at the quarterback position.

We're still waiting on decisions from some of the Horns' top targets, many of whom will get a chance to play in their first season on campus. Depending on who ends up committing, the official class will affect the opportunities of the players on the current roster.

As it stands, top commit Malik Jefferson sits as the only freshman who is virtually guaranteed to step into a role. This is especially so because the freakish linebacker will enroll early this spring.

From there, it's a matter of a few guys who have flashed to turn their proven ability into sustained production. And for quarterback Jerrod Heard, it's finally making good on some impressive potential.

LB Malik Jefferson

The Longhorns are going to need several freshmen to contribute right away in 2015, especially in the secondary.

But while we wait on definitive news on Tim Irvin and Kris Boyd, linebacker Malik Jefferson projects as the likeliest first-year breakout star.

By just about every measurement, Jefferson is an absurd athlete. Texas' top-ranked commit tore up The Opening last summer, running an official 4.39 in the 40 and posting a 39.7-inch vertical leap.

At 6'3" and 215 pounds, Jefferson has the speed and explosion of an elite wide receiver. And as an early enrollee, he gets nearly nine months to learn and adapt to Charlie Strong's defense that just netted top linebacker Jordan Hicks an All-Big 12 season.

Jefferson is the odds-on favorite to take over Hicks' starting job, and he possesses the athleticism to be even more disruptive than the former stalwart.

DE/LB Naashon Hughes

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With some more size, Hughes is going to be one of Texas' best players in 2015.

Now that Malcom Brown has officially declared for the NFL draft, the Longhorns return only two starters along the defensive line in 2015. Defensive end Naashon Hughes is one of them, and he's barely scratched the surface of some awesome potential.

The younger brother of offensive tackle Camrhon Hughes, Naashon surprised everyone by becoming the weak-side starter last season, jumping both Shiro Davis and Caleb Bluiett as a redshirt freshman.

Hughes' numbers were modest, but he was effective, especially considering that the former linebacker-safety hybrid has such limited experience near the line of scrimmage. His best asset is the fluid athleticism of his long 6'4" frame, which is what caught Strong's eye in October:

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He's made great strides. He's an undersized guy and his future is ahead of him. He has gotten better every single ball game. He's athletic. He can run. He loves the game of football. I think he needs another offseason with [Head coach for strength & conditioning] Coach [Pat] Moorer. If he puts on another 20 pounds, I think he has the potential – and the key word is potential – to be an outstanding player. . . Athletically, I think he has the potential as the type of players we want in this program. I have high expectations for him for the remainder of the season and also for his future here at The University of Texas.

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This offseason, Hughes finally gets a defined position and a coaching staff that will do everything it can to maximize his raw ability. Everyone needs to keep an eye on him during spring ball.

S Jason Hall

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A sure, physical tackler, Hall will be counted on to make major strides as a sophomore.

Earning starter's reps as a true freshman, Jason Hall stood out thanks to his physical style on the back end. As a sophomore, he will have to emerge as the leader of the Longhorn secondary.

As 247Sports' Jeff Howe wrote, Hall would have been a Freshman All-American had he been healthy all season. The former 3-star recruit quickly grabbed the starting strong safety spot, flashing as a sure tackler and violent striker, as you can see by this demolition of Oklahoma's Samaje Perine.  

Hall is an excellent fit for Strong's attacking defense, and his style of play will have to set the tone now that Quandre Diggs has exhausted his eligibility. 

He's more than capable, and his first full offseason should allow the coaches to expand his role on a defense that will be missing several playmakers.

WR Armanti Foreman

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Slippery quick with all-around ability, Foreman looks like Texas' No. 1 receiver for 2015.

After graduating both John Harris and Jaxon Shipley, the Horns need at least two wide receivers to assume new roles within this Texas offense. Beyond any sort of doubt, one of them is going to be explosive playmaker Armanti Foreman.

Foreman led all Texas receivers with 18.8 yards per reception, leading Texas with 165 yards and two touchdowns in the two games Shipley missed this season. He also flashed as a runner, turning his two carries into 41 yards.

There's all-purpose ability here, but Foreman is a legitimate every-down receiver with good awareness, reliable hands and the ability to make plays at each level of the field. If you need convincing, check out his 45-yard clinching score against Oklahoma State.

Ideally, a bigger wideout like Lorenzo Joe or recruiting target John Burt will emerge to complement Foreman. Either way, he's due for a big year in a featured role.

QB Jerrod Heard

At this point, you've heard every superlative there is to hear about redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard. Now it's time for him to prove he's worth all of the fuss.

There's no doubt that Heard is one the best athletes Texas has had at the position in quite some time. At 6'2", 200 pounds, he's an explosive runner capable of breaking off huge gains on teams that let him break containment.

The real promise comes from Heard's intangible qualities as a two-time state champion, a leader of Texas' 2014 recruiting class (per SB Nation's Wescott Eberts) and a constantly improving passer who has spent a lot of time with position guru George Whitfield. 

Unless Texas pulls a shocker and reels in a transfer like Braxton Miller, Heard will be the starting quarterback in 2015. Based on everything we've seen from him to this point, he will do some exciting things with that job.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats and information courtesy of TexasSports.com, with recruiting data coming from 247Sports.com.