3 TCU Players Who Turned Heads This Spring and Why It Matters

Spring football has come and gone. Throughout the brief time that the TCU Horned Frogs were able to practice and hone their skills ahead of the summer, several players jumped off the page and made a name for themselves. While spring is not necessarily the time when depth chart decisions are made, it is still an important time for players to cement their place among the rest of the roster.

For three Horned Frogs in particular, this rise in stock was readily apparent throughout the entirety of the two or so weeks that the team was able to meet, compete, and practice. Quarterback Jaden Craig, wide receiver Terry Shelton, and defensive back Gil Jackson are all players that Frog fans already knew heading into the spring, but they are now fully aware of what those athletes are capable of when the rubber meets the road in the fall.

Jaden Craig Provides Stability at Quarterback

Some people might push back on the proposition that Craig’s stock rose at all throughout the spring window. That is an understandable stance to have, as he did not necessarily jump off the page, though he was not terrible either. What he did do was show consistency — there was rarely a time when he was flat-out awful and unplayable.

It is that consistency that makes Craig’s stock a big riser during the spring because, heading into it, Frog fans did not really know what they would be getting. Now they do.

Craig provides the TCU offense with stability. He is not going to put the ball in harm’s way. His elusiveness provides him with opportunities to escape the pocket and use his athleticism to gain crucial yardage. While his arm is not nearly as talented as former quarterback Josh Hoover’s, he is more than capable of getting the ball down the field to a group of wide receivers that has the potential to be one of the best in the Big 12 (more on that in a bit).

All in all, Craig’s stock rose because he proved to the Fort Worth faithful that he has what it takes to play at the FBS level — at least in the short time that he was able to play. We will obviously know more once the fall begins, but for now, it is safe to presume that TCU is in good hands at the quarterback position.

Terry Shelton Emerging as Go-To Target

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Terry Shelton (15) catches the ball against Southern California Trojans cornerback Marcelles Williams (25) in the first half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Who does not like Terry Shelton?

The answer is probably nobody, because that dude can just flat-out play.

“He’s grown tremendously since I first saw him last year; he’s getting better every single day,” TCU wide receiver Jordan Dwyer said earlier this spring. “He’s got all the tools, all the abilities, the athleticism, to be a really good receiver and a high draft pick one day.”

Shelton showed small flashes of brilliance throughout last season, but he has really stood out this spring. Jaw-dropping catches just seem to be his thing — he did it against the USC Trojans in the Alamo Bowl and kept it going against his fellow Frogs throughout spring ball.

If he can continue to develop, then Craig will have himself a reliable target with the length to go up and get just about any ball thrown his way. That is a weapon TCU would love to have, and Shelton looks more than capable of becoming it.

Gil Jackson Poised for Breakout

Last but not least is Gil Jackson, who, just like Shelton, showed small flashes of his talent during the 2025 season but now has the potential to fully break out in 2026.

“Gil’s a unicorn,” TCU cornerbacks coach Benny Boyd said. “A 6-3 corner that can move like that, that is physical, and the best part about Gil is how coachable he is. He’s a unicorn. You just don’t find guys like that. Now again, it’s a work in progress; we got a long way to go. But the ceiling? There really isn’t one.”

Just like Shelton, Jackson saw a good amount of action in the Alamo Bowl victory over USC. It was there that he showed off his athleticism, which was extremely impressive against a batch of USC receivers that had a ton of talent. Still, Jackson rose to the occasion and shut them down.

He continued to do that in the spring, which makes him one of TCU’s top cornerback options heading into next season.

Fall Camp Looms on the Horizon

Just a couple of months remain until fall camp begins for the TCU Horned Frogs. After that, the season will commence in Dublin against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Aug. 29.

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