Recap: Aggies Signing Day Brings Promise to Program's Future
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Even if Jimbo Fisher adds another big-time player, he should be satisfied with his selections. As the Texas Bowl draws near, Texas A&M can take a breath in the recruiting process.
The Aggies capped off their early signing period with 22 official new Aggies putting ink to paper to sign their letter of intent. Thirteen players will also leave school early to head over to Aggieland and become a part of the team's offseason training program.
“Football’s such a hard sport on these freshmen because they get here, their sport’s live while they’re trying to figure out this campus,” Fisher said Wednesday evening. “They’re here in the summer a little bit, but with a full campus, that’s hard.
“When they get here, they can run a post route or do this and do that, but how it’s called, the terminology and knowing where to go, how to go and getting used to that language – that’s as important as anything because until they unlock that, they can’t unlock their athletic abilities.”
Let's take a look back throughout the recruiting trail and see who could be the key faces of the program in due time.
Best Prospect: Wide Receiver Demond Demas
The Aggies landed 14 four-star recruits, but only one elite player in the five-star range. While he may take time moving up the depth chart, Demas has to be the one player all A&M fans will get used to seeing make plays in the red zone.
The Tomball product did not play this season due to the Texas UIL board failing to honor his transfer transcript. It wouldn't matter as high junior season showed his potential at the next level. Demas recorded 50 catches for 1,574 yards and 23 touchdowns during his final season.
The Aggies receiver corp is stable at the moment, featuring a trio of rising seniors and Ainias Smith as the fourth option. Still, even should they all remain a part of the 2020 roster, Demas will have the ability to produce play-making moments at Kyle Field in a limited role during his freshman season. It won't be long until he becomes a household name in College Station.
"He'll just open it up," wide receiver Jhamon Aubson said. "I think any way he gets on the field is going to help us out."
Most likely to play early: Cornerback Brian George
Last season, Fisher dipped his luck into the JuCo portal to select cornerback Elijah Blades. This year, he duplicated the results with the addition of George, a four-star defensive back from Highland Community College.
George excelled during his two seasons in Kansas. Last year, he would tally 26 tackles, two interceptions and six pass breakups. That would place him as the No.4 JuCo product in the nation and a hot commodity in the recruiting process.
Unlike Blades, George will be on campus in January as an early enrollee, leading to a faster transition of learning the defense. Blades became a starter by midseason and shined as the Aggies' top cover man. He and George possess similar traits and one cornerback role is open.
It wouldn't be shocking, given his veteran status, that George would get the first crack of making an impact in Mike Elko's secondary.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Were the needs met: Offensive Line
Kellen Mond was sacked a total of 36 times this season. That doesn't include the consistent amount of pressure he was under due to a weaker offensive line. While veteran talent is returning, it could be the younger staff that becomes the face of the program.
The Aggies added two four-star offensive linemen in Houston Kempner's Aki Ogunbiyi and West Memphis' Chris Morris. Morris will be on campus in January and could begin to work inside at his natural position of guard.
The Aggies also added a swing offensive lineman in three-star Josh Bankhead. Bankhead played multiple positions at The Woodlands College Park and best suits inside. This would allow rising sophomore Kenyon Green to move back to his natural position at tackle.
The offensive line will take time to transform into a secure unit, but it's hard to complain about the talent that is coming to the program. Surely five players —including the recruits — could come together to create a serviceable line for the future.
Who'd They Miss: Punter
When a team finishes with a top 10 recruiting class, it's hard to say they really "missed" on any specific position. If there were one area where A&M could have maybe added someone, punter position would be the ideal spot.
The Aggies have relied on Braden Mann the past three seasons when it comes to kickoffs and punts. The Ray Guy Award winner bolstered a career average 49.3 yards per punt and placed 23 kicks inside the 20 this past season. He will play in his final game against the Cowboys later this month.
The team could have their replacement for Mann in local freshman Alan Guerrieri or Australia product Nik Constantinou for next season. Still, the Aggies have been blessed with one of the nation's top players on special teams for quite some time. If both punters struggle, that could come back to bite A&M.
Who is still in play: RB Zach Evans
There's only one player the Aggies should be looking at moving forward. If not for the transfer of Jashaun Corbin, Zach Evans wouldn't be such as massive need. Now, he should be a priority for A&M.
The North Shore product is the nation's top running back, ranked as the nation's No.7 overall prospect. A five-star running back known for his "do-it-all" style of play, he is expected to announce his decision next month at the All-America game in San Antonio.
The Aggies were expected to have a 1-2 combo of Corbin and Isaiah Spiller. Now, the team could be looking for a compliment to the freshman, who excelled in Corbin's absence. Should Evans choose the Aggies over LSU, that could be the cherry on top for one of A&M's top recruiting classes.
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