Two Longhorns Named to Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watchlist

Two of Texas' best recruiting wins in the 2024 cycle are already receiving hype, being named to the prestigious watchlist ahead of their first seasons.

Texas Orange team wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) carries the ball in for a touchdown as Texas White team defensive back Kobe Black (6) chases in the second quarter of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, April 20, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Three seasons ago, a skinny freshman receiver put up nearly 1,000 receiving yards on one of the most disappointing teams in the nation.

Unfortunately for Xavier Worthy, who turned into one of the best receivers ever to don a burnt orange jersey, Georgia's Brock Bowers stole the show, winning the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award as the best pass-catcher on the national champion Bulldogs, all as a freshman tight end.

The next year the Longhorns had another freshman tear onto the scene. Though something they likely never want to do again, especially heading into the SEC, true freshman offensive lineman Kelvin Banks instantly became one of the best pass blockers for an improving Texas team in Steve Sarkisian's second year.

A year later, Anthony Hill Jr. sacked Jalen Milroe twice in Tuscaloosa, eventually leading himself into the semifinalist spot for the Alexander Award. Hill and Banks are now two of the best players on the Longhorns, even without becoming a finalist for the prestigious award.

Now in 2024, two players headline the watchlist for the best team Texas has fielded since 2009. Wide receiver Ryan Wingo and edge Colin Simmons were both selected to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watchlist, as announced on Wednesday, joining 35 other fantastic freshmen around the nation.

April 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA: Texas White team edge Colin Simmons warms up ahead of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins-USA Today Sports via American Statesman / Sara Diggins/USA Today Sports via American-Statesman

Simmons is a natural pass rusher making two all-state teams and winning two state championships at Duncanville High School in Texas. The Defensive MVP in the state championship game sacked North Shore QB Kaleb Bailey three times and has become a consensus top player in the state in the class of 2024.

Wingo has already shown flashes in Austin, making a name for himself in the spring game. The freshman hauled in four passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns, but that's not why he earned a five-star rating in high school. Wingo was 247Sports' No. 7 receiver in the 2024 class and averaged over 80 receiving yards a game in his shortened senior season.

Few awards project better for future success than the Alexander Award. Of the last six winners to make the NFL, two have become the first pick in the draft, two were top-three picks and Bowers became the first tight end taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, finding himself in the top-15, a rarity for the position.

Simmons is expected to be a key part of a fantastic edge-rushing rotation. The team struggled to bring quarterbacks down in 2024, but the addition of Simmons and UTSA transfer Trey Moore could turn Texas' pass rush into one of the best in the nation. Hill registered five sacks as a freshman, a number Simmons could eclipse with more snaps as a true edge rusher.

Wingo also finds himself in a crowded room featuring three notable transfers, three highly touted sophomores and pass catchers in the tight end and running back room. Despite that, Wingo possesses something many of the other players don't.

Of the seven wide receivers expected to see noticeable playing time in 2024, Wingo is the only one taller than 6'0 and over 200 pounds. Wingo stands at a solid 6'2, 210, making him the perfect jump ball candidate. Wingo may struggle to see a ton of targets, but that kind of size becomes valuable in the red zone and on deep shots. He may not see the volume Worthy did in freshman year, but the touchdowns and big yardage plays may be in the cards.

Though not on the watchlist, freshman running back Jerrick Gibson may also be in the running for the award, as he will have to take an elevated role with the injury to CJ Baxter this offseason. Defensive backs Xavier Filsaime and Kobe Black are also expected to see playing time in 2024, but likely not enough to take home an award as prestigious as this.

Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6, with the winner being announced on December 26.