Tangible progress on the defensive line
Last week, we mentioned that defensive coordinator John Chavis was putting his faith in having a solid defensive front this season to help stabilize the Aggie defense as he looked for answers at corner and linebacker. If the last couple of weeks of spring practice are any indication, he may get what he's hoping for.
Myles Garrett, even though he hasn't fully recovered from offseason hand surgery, has taken part in virtually every practice and we've been told that he's significantly better now than he was last season. In fact, the coaching staff has referred to him as the best pass rushing defensive end in the nation - not the SEC, the whole country. That's pretty high praise for a sophomore, but when it comes from John Chavis and Kevin Sumlin, it's saying something.
The line is still pretty young, but Terry Price and Mark Hagen are getting what they need from their seniors, Julien Obioha and Alonzo Williams. Obioha has played at his usual steady level, but has also taken more of a leadership role. Williams is noticeably bigger this year, and has retained his quickness. We've heard that there are very high expectations for him this year. Qualen Cunningham has continued his development as a pass rusher, while Jarrett Johnson is developing into more of an Obioha-type of defensive end, where he's solid at the point of attack and is strong against the run. On the other side, Daeshon Hall has reached 260 pounds for the first time in his three seasons at A&M, as he's been able to develop his upper body this offseason.
The biggest story, however, may be Zaycoven Henderson. The sophomore showed some flashes last fall, but he's been outstanding so far this spring. There have been periods during scrimmages and 11-on-11 play where has been unblockable. It appears that what was a sucking chest wound for A&M - the interior defensive line - is on its way to being the defense's greatest strength.
Feel good story of the spring
After a 2013 where he saw a lot of playing time, corner Noel Ellis redshirted in 2014 as he dealt with a serious blood disorder. Even though he now has that situation under control, he came into the spring fairly low on the depth chart, running with the third team.
He's not anymore.
After picking off a pair of passes in the first scrimmage of the spring, he's progressed his way back up to taking first team snaps at nickel, where he split time with Toney Hurd two years ago. He may not be the biggest guy, but he's fast and aggressive. With Devonta Burns seeing more time as a regular safety this spring, Ellis could be well on his way having a big role with the 2015 Aggies.
As for the corner competition to replace Deshazor Everett, the two leaders at the moment appear to be Nick Harvey and Victor Davis. Harvey is the superior pass defender and Davis is better against the run. As we've said, this one is going to go into the summer.
Another target at corner? (Fletch)
Texas A&M continues to try and add talent on defense and one talent they are looking to possibly extend an offer to is Waco 2016 cornerback Eric Cuffee. The six foot, 188-pound prospect was at the Friday Night Lights event and also competed in the Rivals Camp in Dallas which he was happy to compete in.
"I just came out here to show my face," he said. "I really want to come out here and compete hard."
Cuffee has been offered by twenty-eight colleges including Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, Mississippi State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford, TCU, Texas, UCLA, and Vanderbilt. On his visit to A&M, the coaching staff expressed great interest in him, but want to see more of him.
"I really enjoyed my time at Friday Night Lights," he said. "All the coaches told me they really like me and want me to come back this summer for one of their camps."
Cuffee is still planning some more visits, but has one big visit coming up in the future.
"I will be going to Alabama on the tenth and eleventh to check out the school and talk with the coaches," he said.
Cuffee is getting ready for spring ball at Waco high soon as he gets ready for his final season of high school football.
"I really have been working on my footwork," he said. "That is pretty much all I have been working on."
Cuffee is rated as a three-star prospect for now, but that will probably not last much longer as Cuffee will likely be a four star in the next set of rankings as Cuffee was one of the top performers last weekend at the Rivals Camp in Dallas.
2017 DT excited about his offers and looking over his options (Fletch)
Houston Episcopal 2017 defensive tackle Marvin Wilson turned a lot of heads at the Rivals Camp in Dallas Saturday. The six foot, five inches, 306-pound defensive tackle will likely be considered one of if not the top defensive tackle for 2017. Since attending the Friday Night Lights event, Wilson has received five offers since then and all of them were from football powerhouses. Wilson is getting some visits planned before football season starts.
"I really want to go visit Florida State," he said. "I'm also thinking about going over to Austin for the Texas spring game."
Wilson will be going back to A&M in the future as he wants to see a game at A&M this fall.
"I really want to go down this fall and see an A&M home game in person to check out the atmosphere there," he said.
One thing that Wilson mentioned to Fletch that caught him off guard was when Fletch asked Marvin about schools he really liked right now and he said "all the flashy schools". It may still be early, but hearing a recruit say he is impressed with schools like A&M or Oregon is a good sign for A&M right now.
A disturbing trend in recruiting (Fletch)
A new trend has started in recruiting that will raise some eyebrows across the nation especially with Texas college coaches is schools have found a loophole in order to hold recruiting events in other states. Penn State head coach James Franklin discovered last year that even though the school can't have a football camp more than fifty miles away, another camp organization can put on an event and invite coaches as guest coaches to the event. One coach who is taking advantage of it is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Last Wednesday, it was announced Harbaugh and other Michigan coaches will be "guest coaches" at an event in the DFW Metroplex in June. They will also do one in Alabama as well so they can get more exposure to kids who can't afford to travel to Michigan. Right now, there are no plans for the NCAA to fix their loophole so college coaches from all over can do this.
More On Michael Divinity (Rob)
Last weekend Michael Divinity came to Texas with a few things he wanted to accomplish. He brought his family and some teammates and their first stop was the Rivals.com Speed and Skills Challenge at Westfield High School. He showed up there and during check-in told Courtney and Rob that he was heading up to College Station after the camp.
After speaking with some staff, he ended up changing those plans and will reschedule his visit. Part of the confusion which led some on the inter-webs to assume the staff had blown the 4-star linebacker off, was that the assumption was that he had firmed those plans up with the Aggie staff already. Turns out he reached out to the staff that morning and was told to come on up, they were having a scrimmage that day. Divinity still had the Rivals Camp though and he wouldn't have made it campus until about 6:00 at best.
In the end, the timing wasn't right and there were several moving parts that prevented it all from happening. Divinity was not let down any and is working on rescheduling that trip.
Divinity has been long rumored to be an LSU lock, as top players from the state of Louisiana often are. A source close to Divinity's recruitment told us the young standout actually has A&M at the top of his list right now.
While in Texas, Divinity locked up an invite to return to Baltimore in June for a return trip to the Rivals.com Five Star Challenge. He also made a trip by Baylor on Sunday before showing up at the Rivals Camp in Dallas and formerly accepting his invite to be in the 2015 Under Armour All-American game in January.
***EDIT** - One quick additional note on Divinity. I just talked to him again this morning and he said he was trying to come back over for A&M's final scrimmage of the spring next Saturday. He is also anxious to see a game in person at Kyle this year.
How Close Is Eric Cuffee to an offer? (Rob)
Waco (TX) defensive back Eric Cuffee made the trip with his family to College Station for the Aggies Friday Night Lights event and although he had a great experience, he left without an offer. So, just how close is Cuffee to an offer?
From sources we have spoken with it is very close. The Aggie coaches will likely take one more opportunity to see Cuffee in person and see him move around some. That will likely come in the spring at his school or in the summer at one of the Aggies' camps. If the staff feels comfortable then, they will extend the offer and initial feedback is that they could get a quick commitment out of Cuffee when that offer comes.
UH the major competitor for Westfield duo? (Courtney)
Westfield three-star quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole already knows a thing or two about Texas A&M football. His dad's side of the family have been Aggies their entire lives, and his dad, Chris Cole, played at A&M. Sterling-Cole said he has heard some good stories from his dad's collegiate playing days in maroon and white, none of which thought he felt like he could or should share on camera. Needless to say the A&M offer was pretty special for the Cole family.
After the Rivals camp last Saturday Sterling-Cole went to visit Houston, and then on Wednesday, April 1st he tripped to College Station with Texas A&M commit Tyrie Cleveland. Sources close to their recruitment said they had a great time.
The Cougars are probably the Aggies biggest competition when it comes to the recruitment of the Westfield duo. The program that ends up on top will be getting a powerful arm in quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole and speed that kills in wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland.
After talking with both Cleveland and Sterling-Cole about their recruitment I would not be surprised if they end up at the same college. The Westfield group is close and they want to play together at the next level. This recruitment will be one to follow.
This post was edited on 4/3 11:52 AM by -Sellers-
Last week, we mentioned that defensive coordinator John Chavis was putting his faith in having a solid defensive front this season to help stabilize the Aggie defense as he looked for answers at corner and linebacker. If the last couple of weeks of spring practice are any indication, he may get what he's hoping for.
Myles Garrett, even though he hasn't fully recovered from offseason hand surgery, has taken part in virtually every practice and we've been told that he's significantly better now than he was last season. In fact, the coaching staff has referred to him as the best pass rushing defensive end in the nation - not the SEC, the whole country. That's pretty high praise for a sophomore, but when it comes from John Chavis and Kevin Sumlin, it's saying something.
The line is still pretty young, but Terry Price and Mark Hagen are getting what they need from their seniors, Julien Obioha and Alonzo Williams. Obioha has played at his usual steady level, but has also taken more of a leadership role. Williams is noticeably bigger this year, and has retained his quickness. We've heard that there are very high expectations for him this year. Qualen Cunningham has continued his development as a pass rusher, while Jarrett Johnson is developing into more of an Obioha-type of defensive end, where he's solid at the point of attack and is strong against the run. On the other side, Daeshon Hall has reached 260 pounds for the first time in his three seasons at A&M, as he's been able to develop his upper body this offseason.
The biggest story, however, may be Zaycoven Henderson. The sophomore showed some flashes last fall, but he's been outstanding so far this spring. There have been periods during scrimmages and 11-on-11 play where has been unblockable. It appears that what was a sucking chest wound for A&M - the interior defensive line - is on its way to being the defense's greatest strength.
Feel good story of the spring
After a 2013 where he saw a lot of playing time, corner Noel Ellis redshirted in 2014 as he dealt with a serious blood disorder. Even though he now has that situation under control, he came into the spring fairly low on the depth chart, running with the third team.
He's not anymore.
After picking off a pair of passes in the first scrimmage of the spring, he's progressed his way back up to taking first team snaps at nickel, where he split time with Toney Hurd two years ago. He may not be the biggest guy, but he's fast and aggressive. With Devonta Burns seeing more time as a regular safety this spring, Ellis could be well on his way having a big role with the 2015 Aggies.
As for the corner competition to replace Deshazor Everett, the two leaders at the moment appear to be Nick Harvey and Victor Davis. Harvey is the superior pass defender and Davis is better against the run. As we've said, this one is going to go into the summer.
Another target at corner? (Fletch)
Texas A&M continues to try and add talent on defense and one talent they are looking to possibly extend an offer to is Waco 2016 cornerback Eric Cuffee. The six foot, 188-pound prospect was at the Friday Night Lights event and also competed in the Rivals Camp in Dallas which he was happy to compete in.
"I just came out here to show my face," he said. "I really want to come out here and compete hard."
Cuffee has been offered by twenty-eight colleges including Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, Mississippi State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford, TCU, Texas, UCLA, and Vanderbilt. On his visit to A&M, the coaching staff expressed great interest in him, but want to see more of him.
"I really enjoyed my time at Friday Night Lights," he said. "All the coaches told me they really like me and want me to come back this summer for one of their camps."
Cuffee is still planning some more visits, but has one big visit coming up in the future.
"I will be going to Alabama on the tenth and eleventh to check out the school and talk with the coaches," he said.
Cuffee is getting ready for spring ball at Waco high soon as he gets ready for his final season of high school football.
"I really have been working on my footwork," he said. "That is pretty much all I have been working on."
Cuffee is rated as a three-star prospect for now, but that will probably not last much longer as Cuffee will likely be a four star in the next set of rankings as Cuffee was one of the top performers last weekend at the Rivals Camp in Dallas.
2017 DT excited about his offers and looking over his options (Fletch)
Houston Episcopal 2017 defensive tackle Marvin Wilson turned a lot of heads at the Rivals Camp in Dallas Saturday. The six foot, five inches, 306-pound defensive tackle will likely be considered one of if not the top defensive tackle for 2017. Since attending the Friday Night Lights event, Wilson has received five offers since then and all of them were from football powerhouses. Wilson is getting some visits planned before football season starts.
"I really want to go visit Florida State," he said. "I'm also thinking about going over to Austin for the Texas spring game."
Wilson will be going back to A&M in the future as he wants to see a game at A&M this fall.
"I really want to go down this fall and see an A&M home game in person to check out the atmosphere there," he said.
One thing that Wilson mentioned to Fletch that caught him off guard was when Fletch asked Marvin about schools he really liked right now and he said "all the flashy schools". It may still be early, but hearing a recruit say he is impressed with schools like A&M or Oregon is a good sign for A&M right now.
A disturbing trend in recruiting (Fletch)
A new trend has started in recruiting that will raise some eyebrows across the nation especially with Texas college coaches is schools have found a loophole in order to hold recruiting events in other states. Penn State head coach James Franklin discovered last year that even though the school can't have a football camp more than fifty miles away, another camp organization can put on an event and invite coaches as guest coaches to the event. One coach who is taking advantage of it is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Last Wednesday, it was announced Harbaugh and other Michigan coaches will be "guest coaches" at an event in the DFW Metroplex in June. They will also do one in Alabama as well so they can get more exposure to kids who can't afford to travel to Michigan. Right now, there are no plans for the NCAA to fix their loophole so college coaches from all over can do this.
More On Michael Divinity (Rob)
Last weekend Michael Divinity came to Texas with a few things he wanted to accomplish. He brought his family and some teammates and their first stop was the Rivals.com Speed and Skills Challenge at Westfield High School. He showed up there and during check-in told Courtney and Rob that he was heading up to College Station after the camp.
After speaking with some staff, he ended up changing those plans and will reschedule his visit. Part of the confusion which led some on the inter-webs to assume the staff had blown the 4-star linebacker off, was that the assumption was that he had firmed those plans up with the Aggie staff already. Turns out he reached out to the staff that morning and was told to come on up, they were having a scrimmage that day. Divinity still had the Rivals Camp though and he wouldn't have made it campus until about 6:00 at best.
In the end, the timing wasn't right and there were several moving parts that prevented it all from happening. Divinity was not let down any and is working on rescheduling that trip.
Divinity has been long rumored to be an LSU lock, as top players from the state of Louisiana often are. A source close to Divinity's recruitment told us the young standout actually has A&M at the top of his list right now.
While in Texas, Divinity locked up an invite to return to Baltimore in June for a return trip to the Rivals.com Five Star Challenge. He also made a trip by Baylor on Sunday before showing up at the Rivals Camp in Dallas and formerly accepting his invite to be in the 2015 Under Armour All-American game in January.
***EDIT** - One quick additional note on Divinity. I just talked to him again this morning and he said he was trying to come back over for A&M's final scrimmage of the spring next Saturday. He is also anxious to see a game in person at Kyle this year.
How Close Is Eric Cuffee to an offer? (Rob)
Waco (TX) defensive back Eric Cuffee made the trip with his family to College Station for the Aggies Friday Night Lights event and although he had a great experience, he left without an offer. So, just how close is Cuffee to an offer?
From sources we have spoken with it is very close. The Aggie coaches will likely take one more opportunity to see Cuffee in person and see him move around some. That will likely come in the spring at his school or in the summer at one of the Aggies' camps. If the staff feels comfortable then, they will extend the offer and initial feedback is that they could get a quick commitment out of Cuffee when that offer comes.
UH the major competitor for Westfield duo? (Courtney)
Westfield three-star quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole already knows a thing or two about Texas A&M football. His dad's side of the family have been Aggies their entire lives, and his dad, Chris Cole, played at A&M. Sterling-Cole said he has heard some good stories from his dad's collegiate playing days in maroon and white, none of which thought he felt like he could or should share on camera. Needless to say the A&M offer was pretty special for the Cole family.
After the Rivals camp last Saturday Sterling-Cole went to visit Houston, and then on Wednesday, April 1st he tripped to College Station with Texas A&M commit Tyrie Cleveland. Sources close to their recruitment said they had a great time.
The Cougars are probably the Aggies biggest competition when it comes to the recruitment of the Westfield duo. The program that ends up on top will be getting a powerful arm in quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole and speed that kills in wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland.
After talking with both Cleveland and Sterling-Cole about their recruitment I would not be surprised if they end up at the same college. The Westfield group is close and they want to play together at the next level. This recruitment will be one to follow.
This post was edited on 4/3 11:52 AM by -Sellers-
