Texas A&M Football Recruiting: 5 Roles the Aggies Can Get Away with Not Filling

If last season holds any weight in the eyes of new head coach Kevin Sumlin, he'll understand there are a lot of holes that need to be filled on the A&M depth chart. Positions on both sides of the ball either require new life or just need to be refilled, and fast.

So far, Sumlin and his staff have done extremely well, securing many of former head coach Mike Sherman's recruits and snagging a few of their own. Many of the holes are seemingly filled and have left many Aggies feeling more confident about their program's choice for the head-coaching position.

Some spots on the roster, however, are not in need of recruiting focus. Some positions have all the players they need for the time being and won't be looked at until next offseason, when Sumlin goes out to search for the next big talent wave to grace this football program.

We take a look at the five positions that the Aggies don't need to fill for this year's recruiting class. 

Tight End

Tight end is one of the most lucrative positions in the sport. Basically an offensive lineman who can run and catch, utilizing players in this group can give an offense a huge weapon in not only the red zone, but all over the field.

With two returning players in Hutson Prioleau and Nehemiah Hicks, both juniors, the tight end position is seemingly covered for at least next season. However, neither player was impressive in the passing game under Sherman and they present a problem if they can't perform in Sumlin's new system.

Snagging a solid tight end for this recruiting class would be huge considering none are in the mix right now, but Sumlin scored gold just a few weeks ago.

One of the top recruits for the 2013 class, Derrick Griffin, made a verbal commitment to the Aggies early this year. Securing him means this position is not a necessity anymore for this recruiting class, especially with the two veteran players, Prioleau and Hicks, still holding down the fort up in College Station.  

Kicker

After losing Randy Bullock—easily the best kicker A&M has ever had—Sumlin and his special-teams staff will have a rough time finding another recruit of his caliber to replace him over the next couple of years.

Fortunately, Sherman took care of that last season by snagging the nation's top kicker in Taylor Bertolet. Now, personally I believe that kicker should be a position you recruit every season due to the "kicker factor" that has plagued football since the dawn of the sport.

The "kicker factor" is a curse that all kickers carry, making them superstitious, spotty performance-wise and overall dangerous to rely on. Putting all your eggs in one basket with Bertolet may be the easy way to go, considering his track record in high school, but not having a decent backup is, to me, shooting yourself in the foot.

It may not be a necessity or the No. 1 thing that Sumlin should focus on right now, but the "kicker factor" needs to register in his mind. With all the other needs A&M has, the Aggies' absence at kicker is something they can get away with for this signing day. 

Wide Receiver

A well-oiled offense in the modern football era revolves around not only the quarterback, but the players he throws to. Wide receiver is rapidly becoming one of the most sought-after positions in both college recruiting and NFL scouting, forcing offenses to mold their structures around the talents of their top receivers.

A&M, fortunately, has a ton of them. Losing Jeff Fuller will be tough, but with Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu coming back, this wide receiver corps will be strong. The Aggies have some top recruits coming in at the position as well, namely Bralon Addison. 

Even though this is a position that any coach could recruit strongly every offseason and it wouldn't be a waste, Sumlin is doing right by the program by not focusing much on grabbing more WR recruits. The excess of talent in College Station allows the coaching staff to look more at the weakened defense instead. 

Offensive Tackle

When Sherman decided last season to start two freshman, Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, at offensive tackle, he made a decision that really secured A&M's anchor positions on the O-line for  future seasons.

Now, each of the two buffet-busters has two full seasons under his belt and are prepared to wreck SEC defensive lines as juniors this upcoming season. With two years left, that leaves Sumlin with some nice breathing room for players who are integral to offensive production.

Offensive tackle should become a priority for next year's recruiting class, so that new freshmen can train under seniors who have started for three straight seasons, but for now this position is all wrapped up.   

Quarterback

Quarterback is a very lucrative position. You will receive all of the glory for victories and all of the shame for defeats. You are the most recognized player on the field. You're the center of attention.

Losing a superstar and likely top-10 draft pick in senior QB Ryan Tannehill hurts this team for next season, but the Aggies have a well-known backup who has all the potential to be the next big thing. Sitting out as a redshirt freshman this past season, Johnny Manziel is all suited up to take control of Sumlin's potent offense.

With some veteran hands to throw to, a NFL-caliber running back at his side and an offensive line that is losing no one to graduation next season, Manziel is set up to turn some heads come September. Case and point, A&M has no true QB needs at the moment.

With a strong backup in Jameill Showers and a big-time four-star recruit already committed in Matt Davis, this is one position Sumlin and his staff have no need worrying about.