Texas A&M Recruiting 2012: 7 Hopes the Aggies Have for National Signing Day

As we inch closer to the stress-inducing National Signing Day, the Aggies are looking stronger on the recruiting boards than most expected from a program that finished at just 7-6 and fired its head coach.

Under new leadership with former Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin, A&M has secured its top recruits and picked up a few more just for kicks. Ranking as 10th recruiting-wise under Rivals.com and 12th over at Scout.com, this has to be one of the best Aggie offseasons in recent memory.

Snagging their first 5-star recruit since last decade, RB Trey Williams leads the recruiting board for the maroon and white. His signature on NSD will be the big splash the Aggies need as they enter into the SEC next year.

We take a look at seven wishes not only Sumlin, but all Aggies have for Feb. 1 as the date grows much nearer on the calendar. 

Sign De'Vante Harris

As the Aggies top defensive recruit, Harris is big-time recruit out of Mesquite, TX. Looking to help fill in a weak A&M secondary, this cornerback will be an integral part of the 2012 recruiting class.

Picking up his signature will secure a strong position for Sumlin's defensive backs. With a new defensive coordinator in Mark Snyder, snagging top talent now will help the new 4-3 system work better over time.

As a decommit from OU, Harris is a steal for A&M. Keeping him in the fold for NSD would be huge in so many ways.  

Fill All the Positional Needs

Most of A&M's losses this past season came on the defensive side of the ball. With a young QB having already been groomed to take over Tannehill's job along with the entire offensive line, a strong receiving corps and Christine Michael returning, the offense is seemingly the sturdiest part of the program.

Defensively, however, the Aggies lost a lot of their secondary, one of their main linebackers and around half of their defensive line. With some recruits coming in at all of those spots, Sumlin and his defensive staff will be hard-pressed to find the right guys to fill in for positions that are open as of now.

Picking up all the perfect guys to fill in all the holes on the roster would be a gigantic boost to this team as it enters the SEC. Talent is everywhere in the Southeast and matching that will be an almost insurmountable challenge for this coaching staff, but grabbing all of A&M's 3- and 4-star defensive recruits would be a solid first step.

Snag a DT Recruit

With a new defensive coordinator coming in, the Aggies seem to be set to move from former DC Tim DeRuyter's 3-4 scheme to a 4-3 design under Mark Snyder. Keeping that in mind and considering that both of A&M's biggest and most experienced defensive linemen, Eddie Brown Jr. and Tony Jerod-Eddie, are gone due to graduation, the Aggies are in dire need of some big-time defensive tackles.

With all four defensive ends coming in with a 3-star rating, A&M should have their outside rushing positions covered for the next couple of seasons, but the center of the line won't be solid without any kind of big-time recruits. Although this defense doesn't rely on a strong middle presence, it also can't be weaker than the rest of the parts. 

Sumlin and his recruiters really need to try to steal some heavy defensive tackles to prepare for future defensive lines. There are rumors that Aaron Curry, an uncommitted 3-star DT out of Keller, TX, is looking for a visit to College Station.

If the coaching staff can steal Curry, it would be a huge plus for the Aggies. 

Greatly Improve the Secondary

The Aggies were one of the worst aerial defenses in college football last season, allowing hundreds of yards per game on squads that were sub-par on the offensive side of the ball. Losing four of their starting defensive backs in Terrance Frederick, Lionel Smith, Coryell Judie and Trent Hunter, A&M needs a new breed of player to hold down receivers in the SEC.

With some strong recruits committed as of now, such as De'Vante Harris and Otis Jacobs, the secondary should be looking a lot better sooner rather than later. One of the positions that desperately requires assistance, Sumlin's four recruits signing on Wednesday is integral to A&M defensive success.

The new DC Snyder has to be pleased with his DB crop as of now, however. Grabbing another 4-star or even getting as ambitious as convincing a 5-star to defect would be a huge push in the right direction. Edward Pope, the 3-star TCU commit from Carthage, TX, should be the main focus for the staff as he is seemingly wavering in favor of A&M.    

Hold onto Bralon Addison

Arguably A&M's second most prestigious recruit out of Sugar Land, TX, this 4-star wide receiver has been strongly committed to the Aggie cause since early last season. One of the main proponents of "Ag Swag," Addison is a big-time players who will make an immediate impact on the program.

As of now, Addison is very strong in his commitment to the Aggies. A huge signature for Sumlin to acquire, him coming to College Station will speak volumes to SEC programs about the skill players in Aggieland.

Sumlin and his offensive system has the potential to incorporate Addison sooner rather than later considering his talents. Strong hands, a great leaping ability and pure speed make him great addition and giant leap for this A&M program. 

Secure a Top 10 Class

With just around 20 commits as of now, the Aggies rank in the top 15 classes in both Scout.com and Rivals.com. Securing a spot as a solid Top 10 class this offseason would speak volumes of a program that was in tough times this past year.

Grabbing their first 5-star recruit in years and owning a solid six 4-stars, Texas A&M is in prime position to reach their goal. While the Aggies' rival, Texas, has consistently placed in the top three classes year after year, getting up in the Top 10 would be a giant message to the college football world that the A&M SEC move was the right thing to do.

National Signing Day will be the point where the Aggies can really secure that position, especially if they snag a few surprises in the days beforehand.  

Sign Trey Williams

The face of A&M recruiting this season, the Aggies' only 5-star commit is the gem of a very successful offseason. When former head coach Mike Sherman was fired just after the final regular season matchup against Texas, Williams' commitment wavered.

Sumlin, fortunately, was able to secure him and lock down any possibility of him leaving for another program. Losing Williams would have been a terrible loss to A&M's top 15 class.

When Williams puts his John Hancock down on Feb. 1 for Texas A&M, many an Aggie football fan will breathe a sigh of relief. As one of the best in the sport right now, Williams and A&M make a great pair for future prosperity in the SEC.