Texas Football: 7 Freshmen Who Must Shine in Fall Practices

Malik Jefferson and Connor Williams set a high standard for Texas' freshmen during the spring. Now it's time for their teammates to follow suit during a crucial fall practice.

So far, the reports about Texas' 2015 class have been glowing. 247Sports' Jeff Howe reports Holton Hill, Kris Boyd, DeAndre McNeal and Ryan Newsome are among those who have been excellent thus far in summer workouts.

Overall, Howe believes this class has bought in right away, which is great news for the youth movement that's underway. If you've paid attention to his post-spring depth chart, the Horns will have up to 13 freshmen, including redshirts, who will crack the two-deep.

That's an enormous number, but it's hardly shocking. The Horns lost a boatload of starters this past season, and Charlie Strong had to boot several players who had no interest in being part of his culture change. Consider the talent in this class, and it's a foregone conclusion that a lot of guys who have never played college ball will command big roles this season.

The good news is several of young guys have set strong examples. Jefferson, Edwin Freeman and nickel corner John Bonney were three of Texas' most dominant defenders in the spring game, while Williams showed enough in spring practice to serve as the starting right tackle. 

These three have proven they're ready to go. Their five teammates who will be immediately counted upon need to follow suit.

QB Jerrod Heard (R-Fr.)

We're back in familiar territory with Jerrod Heard, who has let Tyrone Swoopes hang around in the quarterback battle (per Howe).

As we saw in the spring, Heard has failed to take the extra initiative to grab control of the team. Whatever the reason, Heard has probably cost himself the chance to be the first-team quarterback when camp starts, which will cost him valuable reps.

But in spite of Heard's timidness, the coaches are going to give him every chance to be the guy. The latest proof of that fact is their decision not to bring Swoopes to Big 12 media days:

The coaches' reasoning here is simple. Heard's by far the best runner the Longhorns have had at the position in quite some time, and the offense will need to feature the quarterback run game to generate more explosive plays.

Heard gives the Horns the best chance to feature that element in their offense, and he proved during spring practice that he's capable of being a real playmaker at this level. Even if he doesn't win the job before the start of the season, he has to use the fall to get ready to play.

CB Holton Hill (Fr.)

Besides Jefferson, no Longhorn freshman has a clearer path to a starting role than stud cover man Hill, who should be the No. 2 corner at the start of the season.

Hill's a perfect example of what Coach Strong wants from his outside corners. He's tall, long and physical with the speed to run alongside whoever he's matched with, which is why Athlon Sports has him slated for Freshman All-American honors.

Then there's Hill's competition, which is basically non-existent. Sheroid Evans would have been a worthy road block had he been able to stay healthy, but he's out for the foreseeable future. That leaves Hill with a bunch of guys who have seen little action and can't dream of standing up to him physically.

Already described as being "better than advertised" (per Howe), Hill's going to be special. Don't be surprised to see him lining up against No. 1 receivers before the season's end.

S DeShon Elliott (Fr.) & S PJ Locke (Fr.)

There's absolutely no reliable depth behind starting safeties Jason Hall and Dylan Haines, making it essential that true freshmen DeShon Elliott and PJ Locke hit the ground running.

Of these two, Elliott's the one who needs to get ahead of the learning curve as of yesterday. Hall, Texas' current enforcer on the back end, was nicked up for a good portion of last season, missing the Iowa State game in which the Horns gave up 45 points.

Elliott can't be expected to compare to Hall's overall game, but there should be little drop-off in terms of physicality. Known as "The Kraken," Elliott can blast ball-carriers and receivers alike. Should Hall have to leave the field, Elliott needs to make himself into a serviceable substitute.

On the other hand, Locke would be a backup to either Haines or nickel corner Bonney. Though he's one of the Horns' lowest-rated recruits, Locke has some interesting traits, as noted by SB Nation's Wescott Eberts:

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Offers from Stanford and Yale indicate [Locke's] accomplishments in the classroom and the overall list belies his mid three-star rating. And other than his short stature and a frame that is less than ideal, Locke's speed, tackling, and overall playmaking ability make him an intriguing prospect.

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Eberts later compares Locke to recent departure and former nickel corner Quandre Diggs, but he looks like a lock to play in relief of Haines. The Horns need a backup for the junior who can cover a lot of ground and play smart football.

He and Elliott both need to be ready to supply immediate depth.

Kris Boyd (Fr.)

Hill has gotten most of the hype because of his physical prowess, but there's a reason Kris Boyd ranked just behind his teammate during his recruitment.

Whereas Hill's a purebred outside corner, there's no limit to what Texas can do with Boyd. At just under 6'0", he's a physical quick-twitch athlete who can hang with bigger receivers, play in space and finish plays against the run.

It will take time, but Boyd's physical talent is reminiscent of the 2014 edition of Mykkele Thompson. Like Boyd, Thompson excelled on both sides of the ball before coming to Texas, growing into a multipurpose role in which he played outside corner, nickel corner and safety.

This season, Boyd projects as a backup for the nickel and outside cornerback spots, and Texas will need him ready to go early on.

WR Ryan Newsome (Fr.)

Put simply, Texas needs a reliable return man who can make life easier for the offense. Newsome can make that happen from Day 1.

According to Horns Digest's Chip Brown, Newsome has already "made some teammates look silly" with his electric moves in the open field. That was to be expected from Newsome, whose 247Sports profile indicates a player who is a complete terror with the ball in his hands.

Early on, that ability should allow the true freshman to boost Texas' lifeless kick and punt return games, where the Horns ranked 99th and 61st during the 2014 season, per cfbstats.com.

Outside of the return game, Newsome should also work his way into an all-purpose role on offense. Unlike frustrating senior Daje Johnson, the diminutive freshman has the hands to be a legitimate slot receiver as well as an explosive change-of-pace back.

Newsome can make a difference in several areas. Given the tough early schedule, Texas will need him to help manufacture offense as soon as he's ready.

WR/TE DeAndre McNeal (Fr.)

Listed as a receiver by 247Sports, McNeal has the ability to contribute in multiple capacities during his time at Texas. That's rare for a guy who weighs almost 230 pounds.

During his final season at Poteet High, McNeal excelled as both a running back and move receiver, scoring more than 10 touchdowns from each position. Usually, it's guys like the 5'9" Newsome pulling off that feat—McNeal is 6'2" and built like a house.

This unique blend of talent makes it tough to pin down McNeal's eventual role on the Longhorn offense. Is he a receiver or a tight end? Or is he an H-back that Texas just moves around?

One thing's for sure: McNeal is dominating summer workouts according to Howe:

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Offensively the player drawing the most praise is DeAndre McNeal. The 6-foot-3-inch, 210-pound wide receiver came to campus in good shape and he's impressed with his hands and the way he uses his body during 7-on-7 workouts. He's also looked good in the weight room and in conditioning drills.

“He's determined to play receiver, and he put in the work on his own to stay there before he got here,” one source said of McNeal. “He's a unique guy. I'm not sure what the coaches are going to do with him, but they'll find somewhere to put him because he's got the kind of talent and swagger the offense needs.”

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McNeal's personality has also been contagious, with his leadership qualities being compared to none other those of his high school teammate Jefferson.

Because he's such a unique player, finding a role for McNeal will be tough in 2015. But if McNeal continues to tear it up when the pads come on, he's going to give the offense a ton of flexibility.