Justus Terry is already drawing loud praise inside Texas fall camp, and it came from a place that usually doesn’t hand out that kind of label lightly.
Hero Kanu, speaking with the media on Thursday, went all the way to “generational talent” when describing the sophomore defensive lineman. Kanu said Terry has stood out more than anyone else he mentioned, even though he also singled out Josiah Sharma and Geffrard as players who have caught his eye.
“He’s definitely a generational talent,” Kanu said. “Really, really good guy. Obviously got to stay healthy and gotta make sure he’s doing his job, coming along, following the lead.”
Kanu didn’t stop there. He made it clear that raw ability is only part of the equation, and that Terry still has to translate all that promise into production.
“At the end of the day, you can have all the talent in the world, but it can only get you so far,” Kanu said. “You’ve got to be out there, making plays, putting his potential to use, but I’ve got big expectations for him.”
That kind of buzz around Terry fits with what’s already been building. He was one of the names that stood out to Longhorns on SI after the first day of fall camp, and he arrives with the kind of pedigree that naturally turns heads. The Manchester, Georgia, native came to Texas as a former five-star and was the final piece on a loaded 2025 recruiting class.
Texas won his commitment over Georgia, with Terry choosing the Longhorns the day before the 2024 SEC Championship game against the Bulldogs. That decision helped Texas land the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class, and it came at Georgia’s expense.
Now, after appearing in 10 games as a true freshman, Terry is positioned as a possible breakout player. He finished that first season with eight tackles and 1.5 for a loss.
At 6-foot-5 and 289 pounds, Terry gives Texas flexibility along the defensive front. He can work inside at defensive tackle, or line up in more of a defensive end role in a 4-I technique, with the inside shoulder of the tackle, or a 5-technique, head on over the tackle.
And the room around him is drawing confidence too. Kanu said the defensive line has impressed him because of its depth.
“It's really good. And the best thing about it is it's deep,” Kanu said. “We got a lot of guys that can play.”
WIll Muschamp, who was part of the Georgia staff that missed on Terry in-state, is now back at Texas as defensive coordinator and gets to coach him in Austin. For now, though, the biggest takeaway from camp is simple: Terry’s name is getting mentioned early, often, and in a way that suggests the Longhorns expect a lot more from him in year two.
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