Even before he stepped on campus, expectations were high for Texas Longhorns safety Caden Sterns. He arrived ranked as the nation’s No. 1 safety and as the No. 1 player in the state of Texas, per the 247Sports Composite, making him the highest-ranked addition since Malik Jefferson four years earlier.
To the delight of Texas fans, Sterns didn’t wait long to prove that the hype was warranted.
As a true freshman he led the team with four interceptions, contributed 62 tackles, and recorded eight pass breakups en route to a Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year award and being named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe award.