Texas A&M Football Recruiting: Top Targets, Positional Needs and Predictions

The 2012 recruiting season is coming down the home stretch. There are less than two weeks before signing day.

Kevin Sumlin and the Texas A&M football staff are busy trying to hang onto the recruits already committed to the Aggies and gain commitments from a couple more targets in order to finish out the 2012 class.

The Aggies have multiple commits still taking visits and have some glaring needs that still need to be filled.

This is a look at the current status of the 2012 recruiting class and what needs to be done between today and February 1 to ensure the Ags address their needs.

Ags Lose Two Verbal Commitments

Longtime safety commit Collin Blake decommitted from the Aggies over the weekend and will likely sign with TCU on signing day.

According to Billy Liucci from TexAgs.com, the Aggie coaches have cancelled an in-home visit with Blake. It appears that the Aggies honored Mike Sherman's previous scholarship offer to Blake but were not too concerned when he decided to go elsewhere.

Aledo offensive lineman Michael Wilson has also decommitted and will end up at Oklahoma State. The Aggies flipped previous Cowboys verbal commits Kenneth Marshall and Bralon Addison. I am sure Aggie fans will trade an OL for those two and consider it a good deal.

Front Seven Needs to Be Addressed

The Aggies are entering the Southeastern Conference, where elite line play is the norm.

The Ags are losing two of their three starting defensive linemen to graduation.

In order to be an elite team in the SEC, you need to be able to go three-deep on the defensive line. Because of the physical play in the SEC, injuries are a common occurrence. You need to have plenty of depth at every position, but especially on the defensive line.

The SEC is a running league, and you need to stop the run if you want to succeed. That all starts on the defensive line.

The Aggies also need to build some depth at linebacker.

There are major question marks on the linebacker depth chart after starters Jonathan Stewart and Steven Jenkins.

Kevin Sumlin and his staff need to address these issues in this class.

Defensive Line Targets

The Aggies are targeting multiple defensive line targets as they head down the home stretch towards signing day.

Lufkin (TX) defensive tackle Tomme Mark made an official visit to A&M over the weekend. Mark committed to Sumlin at Houston and is still waiting on a scholarship offer from A&M.

Jacoby Briscoe is a DT from Lafayette, LA who is currently committed to Miami. The Aggies are still trying to convince Briscoe to take an official visit to A&M. It will be an uphill battle, as it is Briscoe's lifelong dream to be a Hurricane.

Polo Manukainiu is a DE from Euless (TX) Trinity High School who is also considering the Aggies. He is expected to visit Aggieland next weekend.

Linebacker Targets

The Aggies continue to recruit Van, TX middle linebacker Dalton Santos. The Ags have been after Santos since the summer, but he appears to be solid to Tennessee. Many consider Santos the top inside linebacker recruit in the nation, and the Aggie coaches are going to keep on him until signing day.

The Aggies are also looking at Boise State commitment Ben Weaver.

It appears that Santos and Weaver are the Aggies top two targets at linebacker right now. With all the new assistants added to the staff from all over the country, expect new prospects to pop up from out of state recruits.

Thomas Johnson Visits

Thomas Johnson just completed an official visit to A&M without committing. Johnson is one of the top wide receiver prospects in the country. He is the cousin of recent Aggie commit Devante Harris.

Johnson played in the Gridiron Kings' 7-on-7 tournament during the summer of 2011 with Aggie commits Harris, Trey Williams, Bralon Addison and Matt Davis. Johnson bonded with the Aggie commits at that tournament, and many believe this is one of the major reasons that he may eventually choose A&M.

Johnson is 6'0", 180 opunds and can run a legit 4.4 in the 40. He can play from day one in the SEC. He is the type of recruit the Aggies need to close on if they want to compete for SEC and national championships.

If Sumlin can sign Johnson, then he will have inked one of the top wide receiver classes in the nation.

Grade Questions Opening Up Spots

The Aggies have had some spots in the class open up because of grade issues with some of their committed recruits. Because of the oversigning rule in the SEC, the Ags are not going to take any chances with a recruit who may not qualify.

Marion Grice and Logan David from Blinn Junior College are no longer members of the 2012 class. The SEC does not accept the online and correspondence courses that the Big 12 does. That means that both David and Grice would have to retake a number of courses.

The odds of them being able to complete those courses before August are not good, so their spots in the class are now available.

It appears that Trent Momon and Adrian Bellard may also have trouble qualifying.

These four players are opening up spots for more DL and LB recruits for A&M.

Predictions

The Aggies need a lot of help on the front seven, so the coaches need to start closing on their prospects.

Tomme Mark has not received an offer yet, but I believe he eventually will and will commit immediately. I think he will be a solid DL in the SEC and will see playing time right away.

Thomas Johnson will decide that playing close to home is a major factor and eventually choose A&M over Cal.

The Aggies will offer and sign Ben Weaver.

Dalton Santos will sign with Tennessee. He has no interest in staying in state.

Polo Manukainiu will sign with the Aggies.

There will be a signing day surprise by the Aggie coaches when they land a DL that no one has mentioned yet.