Texas A&M Football: Nothing Can Happen to These 5 Players in 2012

Injuries have become a natural part of college football, making their mark for decades now across the sport. However, for teams to stay competitive, keeping their top players healthy is more than a necessity. 

With A&M losing its starting running back in Christine Michael each of the past two seasons to horrible injuries, the likelihood of the Aggies remaining in good health at their prime positions seems to be dwindling.  

As Spring Training continues to roll on through April, we take a look at five players who A&M has to keep on the field for any kind of success to fall their way in the SEC.  

LT Luke Joeckel

A true force on the offensive line, the junior 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 one of the conference's most dangerous players.

As he and this powerful offensive line enter the SEC, Joeckel will have one of the toughest jobs protecting his new quarterback's backside. With a receiving corp that is top-notch, making sure that the brand-new starting QB stays healthy is of the upmost importance, and Joeckel remaining off the sideline will be the key to that happening.   

DE/LB 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 year, 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 its seventh best OLB prospect for the 2014 NFL draft, a high honor considering only one year as a starter.

With new DC Mark Snyder and his 4-3 system coming in, it seems that in all likelihood that Moore will end up as a rusher directly off the edge for next year. If, however, Moore ends up injured, it would be a huge loss to the Aggies pass rush. Against the kind of offensive lines A&M will be facing from now on, losing the kind of threat Moore provides would be devastating.    

RB Christine Michael

One of Aggies' top recruits from their 2009 class, this dangerous running back out of Beaumont, Texas, has been all over Big 12 defensive coordinator's minds for the past three seasons. Starting in many a game over his career at A&M, Michael's only true weakness, unfortunately, would be that he is injury prone after suffering 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.  

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 halfbacks in his new conference, but without graduated Cyrus Gray to back him up, a Michael injury would destroy the Aggie rushing attack and ultimately kill a vital part of the A&M offense.  

LB Sean Porter

Making his way out of Schertz, Texas, the senior 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.

The undisputed leader of this already-struggling defense, an injury to Porter would destroy anything that remained for Snyder to morph. With Moore and Stewart both possibly contributing to the defense in the LB position, this may be the Aggies' best class of linebackers yet, and Porter is a necessary part for its success.  

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, Ryan 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 slot receiver to lead, once again, one of the best passing offenses in the country. Any kind of injury to the young man would spell impending doom for a huge part of A&M's offensive production, leaving a conclusion that Swope has to stay healthy for any kind of A&M success in their new conference.