Just before the Texas Longhorns‘ first football game of the season, two freshman players are already turning heads after receiving a prestigious national shoutout.
Justus Terry and Kaliq Lockett were both just named to the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. Maxwell Football announced the nominations on August 26. Terry is a defensive end and Lockett is a wide receiver.
The news marks another strong, positive sign for the Longhorns’ upcoming season, as Arch Manning steps into the starting quarterback position.
Lockett and Terry were both five-star recruits.
Justus Terry Also Ranks at the Top of Estimated NIL Valuations for Longhorns
Terry already made headlines just a few days ago after he made the top 5 list of Longhorns with the highest NIL valuations, according to On3Sports. While quarterback Manning tops the list with an estimated valuation of $6.8 million, Terry ranked fourth with an estimated value of $825,000.
In mid-June, a source told OrangeBloods that Terry was already performing well and standing out.
“He’s exactly the reason why you want these guys to come in early,” they said.
Before his commitment to Texas, Terry was ranked as the second-best player in his class by Rivals. He chose Texas over teams like Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas State and Eastern Kentucky.
At 6’5″ and 268 pounds, Terry is an imposing force on the field. During his junior year, Terry had 78 tackles, 13 sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Steve Sarkisian Recently Called Out Lockett’s Explosive Plays
Before landing on the preseason watch list, Kaliq Lockett got a big shoutout from head coach Steve Sarkisian on August 16. After the second scrimmage of their preseason camp, Sarkisian named Lockett among the top performers who made explosive plays, On3 reported.
“That was really encouraging on that front,” Sarkisian said after mentioning Lockett. “…All of that was very encouraging.”
And Manning also gave Lockett a shoutout on June 28 at the Manning Passing Academy.
“Kaliq’s looking good this summer,” he said. “We’re fired up. We’ve got a young but talented group.”
Lockett announced his commitment to Texas in early August 2024. He chose the Longhorns over LSU and Alabama.
Lockett said about his choice: “I chose Texas because I believe in what Coach Sark is doing and I believe with Coach Jackson and his NFL resume, he can take me to being one of the best receivers in college football.
Lockett was the highest-ranked receiver in a Texas class since 2010 with Mike Davis, Burnt Orange Nation reported.
Two Freshmen Longhorns Turn Heads After Prestigious Preseason Nod