Could Texas A&M Lead SEC In Rushing in 2025?

Brooks Austin and Film Study dive into the potential Texas A&M running back room has to be the Southeastern Conference's best.

Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back Le'Veon Moss (8) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter against the LSU Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M football has the luxury of returning many key starters going into the 2025 season, with perhaps no unit benefiting more than the Aggie running back room that brings back running backs Le'Veon Moss, Amari Daniels and Rueben Owens II at full strength.

While the running backs remain the faces of the run game, the not-so-secret weapon for the Aggies is dual-threat speedster quarterback Marcel Reed. Now entering his first full season as a starter, Reed has the opportunity to elevate the run game even further.

Luxury Of Choices

Nov 16, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back Amari Daniels (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the New Mexico State Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Sports Illustrated's director of recruiting, Brooks Austin, had high praise for the capability of Moss, whose physical prowess is his most valuable asset. And he believes he could help A&M lead the SEC in production on the ground.

An All-SEC selection this past season, Moss is not flashy on the field, but makes up for it with hard-nosed, tough running. His efforts in victories at Florida and at home against Missouri highlight a strength to do the simple things right and punish defenders.

Now, when it comes time for Moss to get a breather, in comes the experience and blend of skillsets that is Daniels. The Florida native possesses more of a twitch than his counterpart Moss, and when he gets into the open field, there's not much that will come in his way of scoring.

As for Owens, he was limited to just a handful of snaps in two games due to a leg injury that was sustained at the beginning of camp before the 2024 season. But with the flash he has shown in the 2023 season, the sky is the limit for this crew of rushers.

The Dual-Threat Difference

Nov 16, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs the ball during the first half while under pressure from New Mexico State Aggies defensive end Buddha Peleti (8) at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

While the running backs remain the face of the rushing attack's potential, what really sends this unit over the top is Reed's ability to extend plays and disrupt everyone's game plan. After stepping in for a poor-performing quarterback Connor Weigman, Reed took A&M fans by storm by notching three unanswered rushing touchdowns against LSU on Oct. 26.

Before then, Reed had helped the Aggies when their first true road game in over three years by defeating Florida in the Swamp and effectively sending a Gator defender's knees down to the ground as the redshirt freshman teased his ability to be the head man at the reins of the Aggie offense. The Film Study crew spared no words when describing how impressive such a move was for such a young player in the game and in the SEC, no less.

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) hands the ball off to running back Amari Daniels (5) in the first quarter of the Lone Star Showdown against the Texas Longhorns at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

With these four pairs of legs, A&M has the potential to lead the conference in rushing yards after previously finishing second, even after a knee injury sidelined Moss for the latter end of the season. If offensive coordinator Collin Klein can deliver the blueprint to unlocking their potent offense, leading the conference will likely be just the tip of the iceberg in the 2025 season.