(NOTE: DT is in a separate post below. I went over the 10,000 character limit.)
QB: When I said this was the best position group on the team, I meant it. I'm expecting big things from Conner Weigman this year, because I've seen the progression. He was terrible in the spring and summer of 2022, and was a capable starter by the end of the season. He was far better than that at the start of 2023. Now he has a new, more flexible system to operate in with a coach who will work with him instead of yell. Jaylen Henderson should be the backup and I think he is. Marcel Reed showed a lot in the Texas Bowl, but he's still developing and I fear he's a portal risk post-2024. Miles O'Neill has an absolute gun for an arm, like a generational arm, but he has a lot of catchup to do coming from the northeast prep ranks to the SEC.
RB: Le'Veon Moss is the starter, but he's happy and then he's not. Well, suck it up, you signed an NIL deal and you're here. Get healthy and be ready to carry the load. Rueben Owens is the linchpin of the whole offense. If he becomes what he was supposed to be, A&M is extremely dangerous. But he's got to show better vision and be more patient. He can't run up the back up his blockers. Amari Daniels has to be more consistent and hold onto the football or he won't play much. EJ Smith won't get many handoffs. He shouldn't. He hasn't proven he can do much as a runner. But he CAN catch the ball, and I think he will get a lot of playing time in that role. I can't see Collin Klein being as inflexible with his rotations as Fisher was.
TE: Nobody bangs the drum more for Donovan Green, but he's still a guy with only 22 career catches and one ACL injury. This year is big for him. If he's healthy, I expect he will start and post big numbers. Klein loves him some tight ends. Getting Garrett Miller and Tre Watson in here increases competition and they could bump Theo Ohrstrom and Jayden Platt for a year. And this is a very important year for Ohrstrom, who should be at the point where he can contribute more than just as an occasional blocker. I love Platt. Love him. I think he'll be great.
One thing: You'll see more tight ends this year than in the past, and it will come at the expense of the fullback. Klein used Ben Sinnott as a fullback a lot, and he was not only a tight end, but one of the nation's best. So whether it's Miller, Platt, Flowers or Green, someone will get moved around a lot and used in a way much different than the basic way we've seen under Fisher.
WR: I don’t care that Evan Stewart is gone. I don’t. He quit on his high school teammates and he quit on his college teammates. He can go do whatever. Moose Muhammad, on the other hand, had ample reasons to quit and didn’t, so I’m cheering for him. I think he’s WR1 this year, and the prior staff wasted his talent over incredibly juvenile things. Noah Thomas is dangerous when healthy, and if he sharpens up his routes, he can be really good. It's a matter of health and consistency. Jahdae Walker needs to be consistent too. He showed he's got playmaking ability, but he's got to eliminate the drops -- especially in the end zone or on third downs. When the drops showed up, they were at critical times. He needs to trust himself and his coaching. Micah Tease has plenty of speed, and I'd like to see him get the ball on stuff like quick outs, middle screens and jet sweeps. I like the top four, but I keep on saying that people need to watch out for Cyrus Allen. This kid is good. I think he adds an extra dimension because he not only can get deep, he's proven that he can. 18 yards a catch on average for your first two seasons in FBS is a lot. Jabre Barber from Troy is another great pickup, and he could whittle into Tease's time. Certainly, he'd jump in and play a lot, efficiently, if there's an injury. Ernest Campbell probably needs a year, but I'd put him to work as a return man immediately. With his speed, he could change a game on special teams. I really like Izaiah Williams and he could be an asset as well. I just hope there's no need to rush him.
Possibly my biggest disappointment from the portal was the loss of Raymond Cottrell. I think he's going to be a baller and would have helped this year. But overall, getting rid of Dameyune Craig and replacing him with Holmon Wiggins is a huge boost. That alone should lead to improved receiver play.
OL: There aren't any more excuses to be had for this bunch. An utter incompetent as a coach has been replaced by one of the nation's best offensive line coaches. This is a make or break year for a lot of players -- Trey Zuhn, Kam Dewberry, Bryce Foster, Deuce Fatheree and even new additions Dorian Hinton and Derrick Graham. But, on the plus side, A&M finally has a two-deep at tackle that won't make you quake in terror. In fact, they've got real competition: Graham against Zuhn, Dametrious Crownover versus Fatheree. The addition of Hinton and Armaj Reed-Adams, along with Papa Ahfua, gives Dewberry, Mark Nabou, Chase Bisontis and TJ Shanahan extra competition too. There's no reason at all the interior of the line should not be very good. But a lot of that centers on Foster, and the addition of two guards makes me think they want Nabou to compete with him this year. And if Foster misses the spring, as he likely will due to track, he may find himself without a chair when the music stops.
This group is deeper, more experienced and should be much better than what we've seen the past couple of years. That's the idea, at least.
DE: The addition of Nic Scourton is absolutely massive. He brings something to A&M that the Aggies really haven't had since Myles Garrett -- a guy who can line up and beat a defensive end one-on-one regardless of whether it's run or pass. And he can do it for three downs. I may be in the minority here, but I liked what I saw from Shemar Stewart the second half off the year. The numbers may not be there, but he became increasingly disruptive as the season progressed. If Scourton gets doubled a lot, he could things we expect a 5-star to do.
My concern is that, with the exception of those two guys, A&M has a bunch of fast, undersized ends who won't hold up if they have to play more than a few snaps or a single series. I like what I saw from Rylan Kennedy in the bowl game. He's fast and he's going to get bigger. Malick Sylla and Enai White are now in their third seasons and we haven't seen a lot from either. Is there a reason to expect that to change? White, in particular, needs to step up his game because he could be a guy who can play every down if he gets up to maybe 250. He's supposedly at 240 now.
Landyn and I were talking the other day about our favorite signees in the class with the exception of Terry Bussey and we both said the same name: Solomon Williams. Williams is already on campus and showed up at 250 pounds. His film from high school was freaking exceptional. He could be a guy who gets on the field fast. Think about this; he's playing at the weight it took Daeshon Hall three years to get to.
I still wish they'd gotten Elijah Alston.
LB: This group is as deep as it's been, but they've got to get someone who can play next to Taurean York. Cashius Howell will be out there in pass situations to blitz, but they need someone who is consistent, smart and can tackle. My first guess is Alex Howard, the transfer from Youngstown State, but I'd be just as happy if it were Scooby Williams, who's probably more athletic. I'd love it if Martrell Harris or Daymion Sanford came on. I'm getting concerned things may not work out for Harris, which would be a real letdown because he showed a few things in limited time in 2022. I hope I'm wrong. But there's two other guys who could factor into this: freshmen Tristan Jernigan and Jordan Lockhart. I really, really like Lockhart and Landyn is a huge Jernigan fan. Lockhart is already at 240 pounds, so if he's able to keep his speed, he could be dynamic. A&M has numbers. They don't have experience, for the most part. So while I'm optimistic, I still have a sense of dread I can't shake.
Safety/Nickel: No worries here! Holy crap. This could be the deepest position group anyone has in the SEC regardless of position. A&M can come at people in waves. Bryce Anderson's going to start; I just don't know where. Does Elko want him as a free safety, or keep him at nickel? Trey Jones fits the mold of an Elko nickel like we saw with Antonio Johnson. Jacoby Mathews deserves a chance to start. He was really good last year to the point nobody even cared Jardin Gilbert left. De'Rickey Wright is a bad, bad man, and he could roam all over the place. I'm excited to see what he does. With those guys, you can let Marcus Radcliffe, Myles Jones and Jordan Pride take a year to develop -- unless they don't need it. And if they can break into this group, they'll have earned it.
CB: Repeat after me: "They cannot suck as bad as last year." And they won't. The question is, who starts? I think Will Lee has the inside track on one spot. But then you've got BJ Mayes, Donovan Saunders, Dezz Ricks, Jaydon Hill and yes, I think Tyreek Chappell too. That doesn't include Jayvon Thomas and Bravion Rogers, who just weren't ready last fall. I hope Sam McCall gets moved to safety, because he can defend, he just can't turn and run. It's better to get him going downhill than going backwards.
This position group has the greatest level of competition and I think they've got some dudes. Hopefully I'm not wrong, because I think Lee, Mayes and Ricks in particular can play. I'm very curious about Saunders, who has the size Elko wants and was a shutdown corner at Cal Poly. But this isn't Cal Poly. Will the talent translate?
QB: When I said this was the best position group on the team, I meant it. I'm expecting big things from Conner Weigman this year, because I've seen the progression. He was terrible in the spring and summer of 2022, and was a capable starter by the end of the season. He was far better than that at the start of 2023. Now he has a new, more flexible system to operate in with a coach who will work with him instead of yell. Jaylen Henderson should be the backup and I think he is. Marcel Reed showed a lot in the Texas Bowl, but he's still developing and I fear he's a portal risk post-2024. Miles O'Neill has an absolute gun for an arm, like a generational arm, but he has a lot of catchup to do coming from the northeast prep ranks to the SEC.
RB: Le'Veon Moss is the starter, but he's happy and then he's not. Well, suck it up, you signed an NIL deal and you're here. Get healthy and be ready to carry the load. Rueben Owens is the linchpin of the whole offense. If he becomes what he was supposed to be, A&M is extremely dangerous. But he's got to show better vision and be more patient. He can't run up the back up his blockers. Amari Daniels has to be more consistent and hold onto the football or he won't play much. EJ Smith won't get many handoffs. He shouldn't. He hasn't proven he can do much as a runner. But he CAN catch the ball, and I think he will get a lot of playing time in that role. I can't see Collin Klein being as inflexible with his rotations as Fisher was.
TE: Nobody bangs the drum more for Donovan Green, but he's still a guy with only 22 career catches and one ACL injury. This year is big for him. If he's healthy, I expect he will start and post big numbers. Klein loves him some tight ends. Getting Garrett Miller and Tre Watson in here increases competition and they could bump Theo Ohrstrom and Jayden Platt for a year. And this is a very important year for Ohrstrom, who should be at the point where he can contribute more than just as an occasional blocker. I love Platt. Love him. I think he'll be great.
One thing: You'll see more tight ends this year than in the past, and it will come at the expense of the fullback. Klein used Ben Sinnott as a fullback a lot, and he was not only a tight end, but one of the nation's best. So whether it's Miller, Platt, Flowers or Green, someone will get moved around a lot and used in a way much different than the basic way we've seen under Fisher.
WR: I don’t care that Evan Stewart is gone. I don’t. He quit on his high school teammates and he quit on his college teammates. He can go do whatever. Moose Muhammad, on the other hand, had ample reasons to quit and didn’t, so I’m cheering for him. I think he’s WR1 this year, and the prior staff wasted his talent over incredibly juvenile things. Noah Thomas is dangerous when healthy, and if he sharpens up his routes, he can be really good. It's a matter of health and consistency. Jahdae Walker needs to be consistent too. He showed he's got playmaking ability, but he's got to eliminate the drops -- especially in the end zone or on third downs. When the drops showed up, they were at critical times. He needs to trust himself and his coaching. Micah Tease has plenty of speed, and I'd like to see him get the ball on stuff like quick outs, middle screens and jet sweeps. I like the top four, but I keep on saying that people need to watch out for Cyrus Allen. This kid is good. I think he adds an extra dimension because he not only can get deep, he's proven that he can. 18 yards a catch on average for your first two seasons in FBS is a lot. Jabre Barber from Troy is another great pickup, and he could whittle into Tease's time. Certainly, he'd jump in and play a lot, efficiently, if there's an injury. Ernest Campbell probably needs a year, but I'd put him to work as a return man immediately. With his speed, he could change a game on special teams. I really like Izaiah Williams and he could be an asset as well. I just hope there's no need to rush him.
Possibly my biggest disappointment from the portal was the loss of Raymond Cottrell. I think he's going to be a baller and would have helped this year. But overall, getting rid of Dameyune Craig and replacing him with Holmon Wiggins is a huge boost. That alone should lead to improved receiver play.
OL: There aren't any more excuses to be had for this bunch. An utter incompetent as a coach has been replaced by one of the nation's best offensive line coaches. This is a make or break year for a lot of players -- Trey Zuhn, Kam Dewberry, Bryce Foster, Deuce Fatheree and even new additions Dorian Hinton and Derrick Graham. But, on the plus side, A&M finally has a two-deep at tackle that won't make you quake in terror. In fact, they've got real competition: Graham against Zuhn, Dametrious Crownover versus Fatheree. The addition of Hinton and Armaj Reed-Adams, along with Papa Ahfua, gives Dewberry, Mark Nabou, Chase Bisontis and TJ Shanahan extra competition too. There's no reason at all the interior of the line should not be very good. But a lot of that centers on Foster, and the addition of two guards makes me think they want Nabou to compete with him this year. And if Foster misses the spring, as he likely will due to track, he may find himself without a chair when the music stops.
This group is deeper, more experienced and should be much better than what we've seen the past couple of years. That's the idea, at least.
DE: The addition of Nic Scourton is absolutely massive. He brings something to A&M that the Aggies really haven't had since Myles Garrett -- a guy who can line up and beat a defensive end one-on-one regardless of whether it's run or pass. And he can do it for three downs. I may be in the minority here, but I liked what I saw from Shemar Stewart the second half off the year. The numbers may not be there, but he became increasingly disruptive as the season progressed. If Scourton gets doubled a lot, he could things we expect a 5-star to do.
My concern is that, with the exception of those two guys, A&M has a bunch of fast, undersized ends who won't hold up if they have to play more than a few snaps or a single series. I like what I saw from Rylan Kennedy in the bowl game. He's fast and he's going to get bigger. Malick Sylla and Enai White are now in their third seasons and we haven't seen a lot from either. Is there a reason to expect that to change? White, in particular, needs to step up his game because he could be a guy who can play every down if he gets up to maybe 250. He's supposedly at 240 now.
Landyn and I were talking the other day about our favorite signees in the class with the exception of Terry Bussey and we both said the same name: Solomon Williams. Williams is already on campus and showed up at 250 pounds. His film from high school was freaking exceptional. He could be a guy who gets on the field fast. Think about this; he's playing at the weight it took Daeshon Hall three years to get to.
I still wish they'd gotten Elijah Alston.
LB: This group is as deep as it's been, but they've got to get someone who can play next to Taurean York. Cashius Howell will be out there in pass situations to blitz, but they need someone who is consistent, smart and can tackle. My first guess is Alex Howard, the transfer from Youngstown State, but I'd be just as happy if it were Scooby Williams, who's probably more athletic. I'd love it if Martrell Harris or Daymion Sanford came on. I'm getting concerned things may not work out for Harris, which would be a real letdown because he showed a few things in limited time in 2022. I hope I'm wrong. But there's two other guys who could factor into this: freshmen Tristan Jernigan and Jordan Lockhart. I really, really like Lockhart and Landyn is a huge Jernigan fan. Lockhart is already at 240 pounds, so if he's able to keep his speed, he could be dynamic. A&M has numbers. They don't have experience, for the most part. So while I'm optimistic, I still have a sense of dread I can't shake.
Safety/Nickel: No worries here! Holy crap. This could be the deepest position group anyone has in the SEC regardless of position. A&M can come at people in waves. Bryce Anderson's going to start; I just don't know where. Does Elko want him as a free safety, or keep him at nickel? Trey Jones fits the mold of an Elko nickel like we saw with Antonio Johnson. Jacoby Mathews deserves a chance to start. He was really good last year to the point nobody even cared Jardin Gilbert left. De'Rickey Wright is a bad, bad man, and he could roam all over the place. I'm excited to see what he does. With those guys, you can let Marcus Radcliffe, Myles Jones and Jordan Pride take a year to develop -- unless they don't need it. And if they can break into this group, they'll have earned it.
CB: Repeat after me: "They cannot suck as bad as last year." And they won't. The question is, who starts? I think Will Lee has the inside track on one spot. But then you've got BJ Mayes, Donovan Saunders, Dezz Ricks, Jaydon Hill and yes, I think Tyreek Chappell too. That doesn't include Jayvon Thomas and Bravion Rogers, who just weren't ready last fall. I hope Sam McCall gets moved to safety, because he can defend, he just can't turn and run. It's better to get him going downhill than going backwards.
This position group has the greatest level of competition and I think they've got some dudes. Hopefully I'm not wrong, because I think Lee, Mayes and Ricks in particular can play. I'm very curious about Saunders, who has the size Elko wants and was a shutdown corner at Cal Poly. But this isn't Cal Poly. Will the talent translate?
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