It took Jermaine Bishop Jr. about one second and one hand to get Dez Bryant’s attention, and the former Dallas Cowboys star needed even less time to decide what he thought.
Dez Bryant Sees Something Different in Jermaine Bishop Jr.
A practice clip of the Texas freshman making an acrobatic one-handed catch reached Bryant on Thursday. “He’s ahead of his time,” Bryant wrote on X. “Elite.”
He’s ahead of his time..
Elite. https://t.co/khmZGdxQoe — Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 27, 2026
For a receiver who has yet to take a college snap, that is a fairly loud endorsement from a three-time Pro Bowler who still owns the Cowboys’ franchise record with 73 receiving touchdowns.
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON: PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
Bryant’s reaction did not emerge from nowhere. Bishop has spent August turning what looked like a crowded Texas receiver room into a conversation about how Steve Sarkisian can possibly keep No. 4 off the field.
Sarkisian praised the freshman after Texas’ second camp scrimmage, saying Bishop has played well throughout camp and carries himself like someone much older than a first-year player.
“The one thing that I really value about him is the moment is never too big for him,” Sarkisian said. “He’s very poised. He’s very composed. He’s very confident to go along with his ability.”
The coach then added the part that matters most for September: “It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he has a significant role offensively for us.”
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free College Fantasy Simulator
Bishop reportedly caught two touchdown passes during a Friday practice before adding another score in Saturday’s scrimmage. Arch Manning has noticed the same natural feel Bryant saw in the viral clip, telling Inside Texas that “football kind of comes easy to him” while also praising how hard the freshman works.
Texas Freshman Has Already Built a Serious Résumé
Bishop arrived in Austin with more than camp buzz behind him. His Texas bio lists the Willis, Texas, native as a five-star prospect by 247Sports and the No. 16 overall recruit in his class. He also won Dave Campbell’s Mr. Texas Football after producing 86 catches for 1,241 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior, plus another 378 yards and four scores on the ground.
His most ridiculous high school performance reads like somebody forgot to turn the difficulty up. Bishop caught 15 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns in a playoff win over Forney, added a rushing touchdown, completed two passes, returned a punt 39 yards, and intercepted a pass.
Texas had three players, Bishop, linebacker Tyler Atkinson, and edge rusher Richard Wesley, named to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year watch list Wednesday.
Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo, and Emmett Mosley V ensure Bishop will not receive targets by default. He is forcing the conversation anyway, which makes Bryant’s two-word scouting verdict considerably more interesting than the average August compliment.
One catch got Bryant to “elite.” Texas now gets to find out how quickly Bishop can make that word look reasonable on Saturdays.
