Texas A&M Football: 10 Current Aggies with NFL-Caliber Talent

As Texas A&M approaches their inaugural season with their new conference, the SEC, many fans have started attempting to form reasonable expectations for the upcoming year. With a new coach, a new QB and a whole new outlook on the sport itself, formulating "logical conjectures" on 2012's promise is much harder than it may seem at first thought.

Losing some superstar seniors in QB Ryan Tannehill, WR Jeff Fuller and K Randy Bullock last season, many believe recovering and rebuilding should be the main objective for new head coach Kevin Sumlin. I'm here to say otherwise.

The Aggies have one of the most loaded squads in the nation with some NFL-caliber talent lined up across the board. While I don't expect A&M to truly compete in the SEC West with Alabama or LSU, I do understand that the Aggies have the capacity to play with the best of them, whether it be with their own conference or another.

While I acknowledge that my presumptions and "expectations" may be a bit high, especially considering Texas A&M's new division, I have come to realize that without lofty goals comes complacency and lack of motivation. We, as fans, must expect the best from our players to get the best out of them.

Here are 10 Aggie starters who have more than enough talent and potential to reach the pros, playing their days out here with A&M in hopes of becoming college football's next big thing.   

CB/KR Dustin Harris

Ranked as the 35th top cornerback in the nation for the 2013 NFL draft class by CBSSports, Harris has impressed for his three full seasons as a starter. Coming out of Livingston, Texas, the junior does more than just defend the passing game for the Aggies.

Scoring A&M's lone special teams touchdown last season on a 72-yard punt return, Harris has the speed to play with the pros. He averaged 19 yards per punt return on 18 punts as well 23 yards per kick return on 16 kickoffs.

On the defensive side of the ball, Harris has also been a major impact. Making 33 tackles last season, two of them for loss, his defensive play is solid. He only came up with one interception on the year, but recorded two sacks, giving NFL scouts someone to look for come next season.    

WR Uzoma Nwachukwu

Playing opposite prolific WR Jeff Fuller for the past two seasons, Nwachukwu was still able to maintain strong stats at A&M. Making his way out of Allen, Texas, the junior wideout has some of the best hands on this Aggie team.

Pulling in 50 receptions for 639 yards and two touchdowns, it's clear why CBSSports ranks him as their 18th overall WR for the 2013 draft. Taking Fuller's spot this upcoming season, Nwachukwu will have the opportunity to prove himself by finally getting some more passes to come his way.

At 6'0" and 194 pounds, many NFL scouts may discount him due to his size, but I more than think that his sticky fingers will change their minds overnight. Keep an eye out for his performance come next year for the Aggies.    

OT Luke Joeckel

A true force on the offensive line, the sophomore tackle out of Arlington, Texas is one of A&M's best. Starting as a true freshman, his experience and talent at the position separates him from the rest of the pack. 

Ranked as the nation's ninth best offensive tackle by CBSSports for the 2014 class, Joeckel should easily improve his stock with some more consistent play against the SEC's finest. An impressive 6'6", 310-pound build makes the huge OT an ideal target for any franchise looking for an immediate impact on the field.  

LB Jonathan Stewart

Coming out of Shreveport, Louisiana, Stewart has silently been one of A&M's top defenders. Playing in every game since he has arrived at College Station, the 6'4", 237-pound linebacker has a ton of experience and more than enough talent to compete in the NFL.

Leading the Aggies last season on defense, Stewart record 98 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and three sacks. He should more than show up on many NFL scouting reports, especially those searching for run defenders with no fear.

RB Christine Michael

One of Aggies' top recruits from their 2009 class, this dangerous running back out of Beaumont, Texas has been all over NFL scouts minds for the past three seasons. Starting in many a game over his career at A&M, Michael's only true weakness would be that he is injury prone after sustaining two season-ending injuries over the past two years.

Breaking his leg halfway through his sophomore year, Michael emerged his junior season with a lust for gaining back lost time on the field. Watching him was similar to getting a sneak at a bull in a china shop, pummeling defenders and shaking tackles like no Aggie RB I've seen in a long time. His passion for the game is an "X-factor" I'm willing to bet multiple franchises take into account when considering this superstar. 

Last season, despite his injury, he was still able to gain 920 yards on 149 attempts for eight touchdowns. His speed and agility make him one of the top prospects for the NFL come the end of next year with CBSSports ranking Michael as the nation's third best RB. 

C/OGPatrick Lewis

The big junior out of LaPlace, Louisiana, has been more than a handful for Big 12 defensive lines. Starting in games since he was a freshman, Lewis has the size, speed and strength to play on the interior of NFL franchises. 

Coming in at an ideal 6'2" and 305 pounds, A&M's junior center is one of their most consistent players. Taking reps at both offensive guard and center, with his preference being the former, CBSSports ranks the junior as the eighth best guard prospect in the country.

As the most experienced buffet buster on the offensive line, keep an eye out for him to be coaching the younger guards around him to a higher level of consistent play.   

LB/DE Damontre Moore

Recruited by former head coach Mike Sherman, A&M's top pass rusher has been a force since the loss of All-American linebacker Von Miller. Backing up the now Denver Bronco for his entire freshman season, the 6'4", 245-pound OLB has more than proven himself to be a danger off the edge.

Recording 72 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and 8.5 sacks last year alone, I more than look forward to seeing him up against the SEC's best offensive lines. CBSSports ranks Moore as their seventh best OLB prospect for the 2014 NFL draft, a high honor considering only one year as a starter.

NFL scouts will have a good two years to continue analyzing this raw talent edge threat, a talent that is highly valued in the pass-heavy pros. Keep an eye out for some big numbers over the next two seasons from Moore as his quickness and agility pay off in new DC Mark Snyder's 4-3 system.   

OT Jake Matthews

The Aggies' offensive line is their most solid area by far due to the incredible amounts of experience each player owns. The third of three O-Lineman on this list, Matthews may be the most impressive.

Coming out of Missouri City, Texas, the sophomore has started for two seasons already and will easily finish his Aggie career as a four-year letterman. While he may have looked extremely rough as a freshman, the experience acquired playing against the best of the Big 12 has molded him into a top NFL recruit.

Ranked as the overall No. 2 offensive tackle by CBSSports for the 2014 draft class, Matthews still has two more seasons under the the offensive-minded head coach Kevin Sumlin. While the Aggie's buffet busters may be the rock of this team, Matthews could certainly be considered the entire line's anchor.  

LB Sean Porter

Making his way out of Schertz, Texas, the junior linebacker has been a phenomenal replacement for the lost All-American Von Miller. In what many consider to be some of the biggest shoes to fill in Aggie history, Porter has more than done his fair-share to make this Aggie defense a force on the field. 

Racking up 79 tackles, 17 for loss, and 9.5 sacks last year alone, his senior year is looking even more promising. A born leader and first up to run the new 4-3 schemes of Mark Snyder, Porter's adaptability and true talent are on the line next season in the SEC.

One of the NFL's top overall prospects, Porter comes in as the second best OLB according to CBSSports. With Moore and Stewart both contributing to the new defense in the LB position, this may be the Aggies' best class of linebackers yet.  

WR Ryan Swope

Easily one of the Aggies' best players to ever come through their program, the junior wideout from Austin, Texas has made a name for himself over the past two seasons. A classic reminder of former Texas Tech stud WR Wes Welker, Swope is a top-notch slot receiver with great hands and NFL speed.

As QB Ryan Tannehill's favorite target last season, the junior snared 89 passes for 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns. His precision route running and field vision has allowed A&M to claim him and Tannehill as one of the best QB-WR duos the university has ever had.

Even with a new, young QB coming in to start for Swope's senior season, be expecting this NFL prospect to lead, once again, one of the best passing offenses in the SEC. His talents are widely recognized as well as CBSSports ranks him as the seventh best WR in the country for the 2013 draft class.