Why this freshman receiver could be an X-factor for TCU football at No. 12 BYU
Going up against one of the best defenses in the country, TCU football knows it will need to dig deep to find ways to put up points at No. 12 BYU on Saturday.
The Horned Frogs’ wide receiver group of Eric McAlister, Jordan Dwyer and Joseph Manjack presents the best opportunity to outmatch BYU (8-1, 5-1 Big 12), but TCU head coach Sonny Dykes knows the Horned Frogs (6-3, 3-3) will need more than just those three players to step up in Provo.
That’s why true freshman wide receiver Terry Shelton could be in line for a bigger role Saturday. A four-star prospect from Ranchview High in Carrollton, Shelton was rated the No. 12 wide receiver in the class of 2025 and also was rated a top-20 prospect in Texas according to 247Sports.
Shelton has appeared in only two games this season, with one reception for two yards against Abilene Christian on Sept. 13. He also got some snaps against North Carolina in the season opener.
“You might see a little Terry Shelton this week at outside receiver,” Dykes said Tuesday. “He’s just really practiced at a high level, and we feel like we need to give Jordan a little bit of a break. We’ve pretty much played every single play with Jordan and Eric at outside. That’s really difficult for those guys to do.”
It’s a smart move to try and keep McAlister and Dwyer fresh, as they’ve arguably been the best receiver duo in the Big 12.
McAlister leads the league with 834 yards and is tied for second with eight receiving touchdowns, while Dwyer ranks 11th in yards (602) and has four touchdowns. But all those touches create wear and tear, so it makes sense that TCU would rely more on its depth.
The success of the duo made it easier for Shelton to wait his turn.
“When I first got here, it was definitely humbling for me,” Shelton said. “But I saw the guys in front of me, those are two guys that are definitely going to the NFL next year. So I just saw them, took pieces from their game and added it to mine.”
Shelton didn’t just earn the playing time because of his lofty high school ranking, it was his performance on the field that made Dykes and the staff feel he deserves more reps.
“Terry is somebody that’s earned the right to get on the field,” Dykes said. “We’re excited to see what he can do. We had a kind of a scrimmage on Sunday with our younger players, and he performed at a really high level. So I think we all have a lot of confidence in him and are looking forward to seeing what he can do to help us win.”
It’s been a moment Shelton has been waiting for since he flipped his commitment from Arizona to the Horned Frogs just before early signing day.
The adjustment to being a star in high school playing every snap to waiting your turn isn’t easy, but Shelton trusted the process.
“It means a lot. I’ve just been coming to practice and working,” Shelton said Wednesday. “I wasn’t getting a whole bunch of playing time, but I just had my head down and just continued working hard, and now it’s coming along.”
Shelton set himself up for this opportunity by making a big jump from spring practice to fall camp. As an early enrollee, Shelton had growing pains as he had to adjust to the physicality of Power Four conference defensive backs.
Instead of being frustrated by a lack of success, Shelton used it as fuel to push himself during the offseason. He was clearly a different player during fall camp.
“I just hit the weight room harder. My approach in there was to just go in there and think about getting stronger,” Shelton said. “I think the biggest thing was just watching film on the defensive backs I’m facing, and that’s definitely helped me out a lot.
“I’ve learned a lot from [receivers coach Malcolm Kelly] like being more patient with my routes and make everything look like a fade. I think my biggest thing when I got here was I could only run a fade. That’s really all I could do. Now I feel like my route tree has gotten way better.”
Now a stronger and more confident player, Shelton is set to earn his first meaningful snaps against a top-15 opponent on the road.
“I’m definitely happy,” Shelton said with a smile. “We’re underdogs coming in. It’s going to be cold outside. I can’t wait to go out there and prove myself and prove I can help us win.”
This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 4:45 AM.
