Cedric Roberts is competing for a starting position at linebacker for the North Texas Mean Green following his transfer from Alcorn State. The Georgia native joined the program during the offseason after spending two seasons at the historically Black college in Mississippi.
Roberts, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 225 pounds, is one of several players vying for significant playing time as the team prepares for its upcoming season.
The move to Denton has offered Roberts a different environment than his previous stop. He noted that the compact nature of the campus has made daily life easier, specifically regarding transportation. Roberts recalled driving down University Drive for the first time and calling his mother to point out that most amenities are located on the same street, eliminating the need for gas money.
North Texas head coach Neal Brown indicated that the team will use a closed practice on Saturday to evaluate player performance in a game-like setting. Brown stated that the staff will step back from the field, play music to limit audible coaching, and observe how players respond to the pressure.
This scrimmage serves as a key opportunity to distinguish between players who practice well and those who perform effectively in competitive scenarios.
The Mean Green face a significant rebuilding challenge this year, with only three players returning who started a game in the 2025 season. Those returning starters, defensive linemen Terrell Washington and Rudy Vargas Jr. and wide receiver Baron Tipton, each started just one game last year.
