Texas A&M Starter Named to Preseason First-Team All-America List

In recent years, Texas A&M’s offensive line has been a liability. The Aggies have had a revolving door of quarterbacks due to consistent sacks, hits and hurries allowed by the big men up front.

It all changed last season. The Aggies boasted one of the best offensive lines in the nation. They limited sacks, overpowered defenses in the run game and became a cohesive unit throughout the 2024 campaign.

A major reason for the Fightin’ Farmers’ success was the emergence of guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams, who has been named to CBS Sports’ preseason first-team All-American list.

The Reed-Adams-led Maroon Goons

Texas A&M offensive lineman Ar'maj Reed-Adams against the Texas Longhorns. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Aggies owned one of the best rushing attacks in not just the SEC but all of college football last season. With no real stats for offensive linemen, the easiest way to evaluate them as a group is by rushing and pass protection statistics.

Texas A&M ranked second in the SEC in the run game, when they rushed for 2,541 yards and 27 touchdowns across 11 different ballcarriers. The ground game was spearheaded by Reed-Adams, who is widely regarded as one of the best run blockers at the college level.

“A former starter at Kansas, Reed-Adams transferred to Texas A&M ahead of the 2024 season and immediately emerged as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the country,” CBS Sports writer Will Backus wrote “He started at right guard in all 13 of Texas A&M's games and allowed just one sack and one quarterback hit in 361 pass block snaps, according to PFF. The 6-foot-5 and 325-pound Reed-Adams also graded out as an elite run blocker while helping pave the way for the second-best rushing attack in the SEC."

With Reed-Adams as a member of the front five, the Aggies have done a good job keeping their quarterbacks upright. Last season, the Maroon and White allowed 23 sacks for 127 yards. Limiting pressure on redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed allowed him to feel more comfortable in the pocket and grow as a passer.

As 2025 looms, the Aggies have to feel confident about the state of their offense. Six offensive linemen who played significant snaps last season are returning on top of their three dynamic running backs. Reed is ready to display his offseason work in his redshirt sophomore year and toss the rock to electric new wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver.

Texas A&M is set to debut this season on Aug. 30 when it hosts UTSA at 6 p.m.