Texas A&M Setting the Tone in State With Strong 2020 Recruiting
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Since their departure from the Big 12, Texas A&M has seen an uprise in their overall recruiting. Throw in the likes for a smooth-talking coach such as Jimbo Fisher, and a program is bound to become relevant once more.
Entering his second full recruiting season, Fisher is expected to lead the Aggies to another top-five finish with his 2020 class. The team currently ranks sixth on 24/7Sports.com, fifth on Rivals.com and eighth on ESPN.com.
The Aggies currently have 22 commits as part of the 2020 newcomers. Led by Tomball five-star wide receiver Demond Demas, A&M will feature 13 four-star prospects, along with nine three-stars according to 24/7Sports rankings. Pair that with the No.4 ranked class of 2019 and it could mean bright days ahead for the Aggies' path in conference play.
Fisher has continued to blossom into a true Texas-based recruiter for the program and keeping the tradition strong of promising potential. During his eight seasons in Tallahassee, the Aggies head coach finished with one top 10 class calling the shots for the Seminoles.
He'll likely complete the trifecta by February should the rankings hold heading into the new year.
Winning your state is beneficial, but so is challenging programs across the country. Fisher will make history with the program by adding 11 recruits from outside of Texas. That's the most in school history, surpassing 2018's class that featured nine.
“We’re just trying to get the best players and who was interested in A&M because we want Texas kids, we want to recruit Texas,” Fisher said Wednesday evening. “This is a tremendous base, but I do think the Texas A&M brand going nationally, as you see Alabama goes nationally, Clemson goes nationally, Florida goes nationally, Georgia goes nationally, Ohio State goes nationally. There’s players everywhere and people are willing to come and you have as good a product as anywhere in America."
A&M entered the season with only five seniors on scholarship, benefiting the recruiting process for the long-haul. As it stands now, the team will need to replace four starters — three by graduation and one from early declaration for the NFL. The lack of veteran loss allowed growth in the recent class.
The Aggies would lose eight players to the transfer portal — including sophomore running back Jashaun Corbin, who began the season as the team's starter. Fellow running back Vernon Jackson suffered a career-ending injury in the spring, freeing up nine extra roster spots.
What once was a position of promise now could be a position of need. The Aggies will now feature a pair of running backs left on scholarship in the form of Isaiah Spiller and Cordarrian Richardson. That problem could have corrected itself as the team add all-purpose athlete Devon Achane and Stone Mountain star Deondre Jackson.
Achane could be a dark horse as one of the nation's top players. At Fort Bend Marshall, the "do-it-all" player rushed for over 2,000 yards and 38 touchdowns. Fisher smirked at the idea how his recruitment wasn't higher on other team's boards.
“For some reason, people don’t think 114 [career] touchdowns and 20.4 in the 200 meters is very good,” Fisher said in to reporters on Achane's lesser recruiting trail. “I think that guy’s pretty good.”
The focus at the position now turns locally to North Shore's Zachary Evans. One of the top runners still undecided, the current Mustang tailback will make his decision at the All-America Game on Jan.2. His top two choices seem to be between A&M and LSU.
The Aggies hoped to fix their trouble in the offensive trenches and in deep on defense. Both areas were addressed and could be corrected by the time the players walk across Reed Arena. The offensive line added a pair of four-star guards in Akinola Ogunbiyi and Chris Morris.
The secondary tripled their stars with the additions of Antonio Johnson, Jaylon Jones and Joshaua Moten — all four of whom finished with a four-star ranking. Johnson is expected to patrol deep at safety while Moten and Jones could be standouts in man coverage at cornerback. The three should pair with rising star Demani Richardson to complete Mike Elko's set.
“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," Fisher said.
Everything will need to hit for the Aggies for this class to look like a slam dunk in conference play. The pieces are in place; now, it will come down to coaching.
But the Aggies are set up for a successful 2020 campaign — even more than before commits put ink to paper. They say winning your state is key — checkmate in favor of A&M.
With hours left in the early signing period, A&M sits on top of the Texas schools found in the Big 12. Texas currently sits at 10th while TCU and Texas Tech fall outside the top 25.
Just like the conference, perhaps only the best can handle the SEC?