Aggies Jimbo Fisher on Recruiting: 'Truly Great Players Love The Competition'
The Texas A&M Aggies finished with the highest-rated recruiting class in history a cycle ago, according to the 247Sports Composite. The Aggies have high expectations in the 2023 recruiting cycle, but it is a tall task to sign another elite class. Players often get turned off by programs that have elite talent on their roster because it presents a harder path to playing time.
Coach Jimbo Fisher joined The Herd with Colin Cowherd to discuss the challenges of recruiting after landing the nation’s No. 1 class.
"Where you get better is who you go against on a daily basis in practice, Fisher said." You’re going to line up in practice against these guys each and every day, and I think that’s where you get better. I’m going to tell you one statement, and I say this all the time Colin, I’ve never had a great player, guys that are truly great players, ever ask me about the depth chart.”
Here is the full interview:
Fisher wants competitors on his roster. He cannot guarantee playing time to anyone, but he can sell the "iron sharpens iron" philosophy. A player who signs with Texas A&M may not see the field immediately, but they will naturally improve in practice given the talent they have to face.
“I’ll give you a quick story," Fisher continued. "I’ll tell you about Jalen Ramsey. When he came, we had Lamarcus Joyner, P.J. Williams, Terrence Brooks, and Ronald Darby, all four first/second-round draft picks that are still playing in the NFL after eight years. He was a freshman coming in the year we won the national championship. Jalen said, ‘Coach I’m going to start day one.’ I said, ‘Jalen if you’re the best player you’re going to start.’ We had four returning guys that were all top two-round draft picks. He started day one, and we moved another guy to nickel. That whole secondary to this day is still playing in the NFL eight years later."
Fisher’s pitch to elite 2023 athletes seems to be working as the Aggies just landed Ramsey (NJ) offensive tackle Chase Bisontis and Denton (TX) linebacker Anthony Hill.
“The great players never ask me about who we have or what goes on. They think somebody else is going to have to move. Dalvin Cook was that way. Derwin James was that way. This group here is saying it, ‘Coach, I’m not being arrogant to the guys we have, we’re coming in here to play.' I say, ‘Come to play.’ The truly great players love the competition, and it’s working out. I think that’s how you build great programs, just like we did at Florida State, just like we’re starting to establish here."
The Aggies are just getting started on the recruiting trail.
Around this time last year, the Aggies began to gain recruiting momentum en route to the number one class.
They may be positioned to make a similar run in the final stretch of this cycle.
You can follow Michael Gresser on Twitter @gresser_michael
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