Reflecting on Texas A&M's Failed 2022 Recruiting Class After Latest Portal Exit

The dreams of Texas A&M fans were high in the sky, and then the reality came crashing down some few months later.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Oh, what could have been for the Texas A&M Aggies in the 2022 season.

The Aggies have gained a reputation for being near the top of the list in the recruiting game, but with eight five-star players and 19 four-star players, the Aggies were primed to challenge the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs atop the SEC rankings.

Unfortunately for the Maroon and White and then-head coach Jimbo Fisher, it was not to be, as season records of 5-7 and 7-6 ensued following the recruiting, respectively, a grave disappointment following the large amount of hope that was constructed earlier on in 2022.

Where Are They Now? The 2022 Texas A&M Recruiting Class

Fast forward nearly four years, and of the 29 members of that elite recruiting class, only four of them have seen their entire time last in College Station, as the rest entered the transfer portal as some point after committing to Texas A&M.

Texas A&M Aggies running back Le'Veon Moss (8) looks on prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

One of the four that remained was selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft this past April, edge rusher Shemar Stewart, one of the five-star recruits. Stewart was the only one of A&M's five-star recruits to stay loyal to the Maroon and White.

Only two of the 19 four-stars stayed with the Aggies, running back Le'Veon Moss and safety Jarred Kerr, both of whom have played their final eligible collegiate seasons.

The only one that still remains from the illustrious class is starting center Mark Nabou Jr., who still has two years of eligibility after injuries got at him early in his time in Aggieland.

Two of the four-stars have recently announced that they will be entering the transfer portal, safety Bryce Anderson and tight end Theo Melin Ohrstrom, the former a key part of A&M's defense until he suffered a head injury against Notre Dame this year that kept him out for most of the year and the latter serving as an effective target under Mike Elko's time as head coach.

Another notable is five-star quarterback Conner Weigman, who burst onto the scene with the Aggies in an impressive debut against the Ole Miss Rebels in 2022, throwing for 338 yards and four touchdowns in the 31-28 loss.

However, as we all know, injuries would also plague Weigman's time as a signal caller in College Station, and playing hot potato with the starting job with other quarterbacks such as Max Johnson and Marcel Reed, Weigman entered the transfer portal after the 2024 season, landing with the Houston Cougars, whom he just recently lead to a 10-3 season and just defeated the LSU Tigers in the Texas Bowl.

Noah Thomas and Evan Stewart were two notable receivers in the class, with Thomas a four-star and Stewart a five-star, and their skills were on high display during their time with the Aggies.

Stewart would record 91 catches for 1,163 yards and six touchdowns during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, before some differences with the team saw him hit the portal, landing in Eugene, OR with the Oregon Ducks.

Thomas would stick around a little longer, catching 73 passes for 984 yards and 15 touchdowns from 2022-2024, even leading the Aggies with 574 yards in 2024, before suddenly entering his name into the transfer portal and joining Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

And who can forget defensive lineman Walter Nolen, one of the top prospects in the entire class?

Nolen would notch 66 tackles and five sacks before hitting the portal after the 2023 season, joining Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels before being drafted in the 2025 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

Even head coach Jimbo Fisher suffered during the fall and was fired in November 2023 after another subpar season following the historic recruitment.

Here is a complete table of the legendary draft class and how each player shaped out.

Player	Position	247 Ranking No. (Stars)	Status
Walter Nolen	DL	2 (5)	Transferred to Ole Miss
Shemar Stewart	DL	9 (5)	Drafted in 2025 Draft by Cincinnati Bengals
Evan Stewart	WR	11 (5)	Transferred to Oregon
LT Overton	DL	14 (5)	Transferred to Alabama
Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy	DL	17 (5)	Transferred to South Carolina
Conner Weigman	QB	22 (5)	Transferred to Houston
Denver Harris	CB	23 (4)	Transferred to LSU
Chris Marshall	WR	25 (5)	Transferred to Boise State
Jacoby Matthews	S	39 (4)	Transferred to Auburn
Enai White	EDGE	47 (4)	Transferred to Penn State
Anthony Lucas	DL	59 (5)	Transferred to USC
Kam Dewberry	OL	64 (4)	Transferred to Alabama
Smoke Bouie	CB	68 (4)	Transferred to Georgia
PJ Williams	OL	69 (4)	Transferred to SMU
Bryce Anderson	S	77 (4)	Entered transfer portal
Le'Veon Moss	RB	82 (4)	Expected to be in 2026 NFL draft
Malick Sylla	EDGE	94 (4)	Transferred to Mississippi State
Jake Johnson	TE	95 (4)	Transferred to North Carolina
Donovan Green	TE	105 (4)	Transferred to LSU
Marquis Groves-Killebrew	CB	114 (4)	Transferred to Arizona
Bobby Taylor	CB	193 (4)	Entered transfer portal
Theo Melin Ohrstrom	TE	216 (4)	Entered transfer portal
Hunter Erb	OL	266 (4)	Transferred to Tulsa
Martrell Harris Jr.	LB	284 (3)	Entered transfer portal
Noah Thomas	WR	302 (4)	Transferred to Georgia
Ish Harris	LB	374 (3)	Transferred to Houston
Jarred Kerr	S	412 (3)	Expected to be in 2026 NFL draft
Mark Nabou Jr.	OL	502 (3)	Starting center for Texas A&M
Ethan Moczulski	K	1606 (3)	Transferred to Illinois