Texas A&M Football: 5 Players Who Have Surprised Us in 2014

The Texas A&M football team is 4-0 and ranked No. 6 in the country. It has achieved this early success because multiple players have stepped up and impressed with their strong performances early in the season. 

The Aggies were expected to take a step back in 2014 after losing Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans on offense and three expected starters from a defense that struggled in 2013. Instead, the Aggies have seen new stars emerge on both sides of the ball. 

Elite football programs do not rebuild after they lose great players, they simply reload by replacing those great players with talent that is just as good. Texas A&M is not an elite football program yet, but head coach Kevin Sumlin and his staff have done a very good job of improving the talent on the roster so they can reload at most positions.

This is a look at the players who have been pleasant surprises on both sides of the ball during the 2014 season. 

QB Kenny Hill

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Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin has always featured good quarterback play in his offense. During his six years as a head coach entering the 2014 season, Sumlin's quarterbacks have averaged 360 yards passing per game. 

It should not surprise anyone that sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill has played well, but no one expected him to play this well. He is completing 69.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 13 touchdowns and one interception in four games. 

Hill is averaging 339.8 passing yards per game. That number is skewed because he has sat out three quarters during blowout victories. 

Hill set a school record with 511 yards passing and 44 completions in his first career start. He will approach 4,000 yards passing on the season, which would set another school record. "Kenny Trill" has played like a Heisman candidate through the first four games and has already made a national name for himself. 

FS Armani Watts

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Freshman free safety Armani Watts might be the most surprising player on the Aggie team. He surprised many by earning the starting spot at free safety over senior Floyd Raven. 

Watts had an instant impact in his first college game, both figuratively and literally. Watts delivered two bone-jarring hits that knocked the ball loose during the Aggies' season opener at South Carolina. He also snagged an interception during the Aggies 52-28 win. 

Watts ranks third on the team with 20 tackles, including two for loss. He has displayed amazing range at free safety and is adept in coverage and against the run. He is the best safety the Aggies have had since Terrence Kiel was roaming the defensive backfield for Texas A&M. 

WR Edward Pope

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Sophomore wide receiver Edward Pope has had a surprising impact despite not starting for three of the Aggies' four games. The 6'4", 190-pound athlete stepped into the starting lineup against SMU in place of the injured Speedy Noil.

Pope has caught 12 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns during the first four games. He entered the season as an afterthought at the wide receiver position and has developed into an impact player for the Aggies. 

A number of those receptions have been on third down and have extended drives. Pope has been able to utilize his long frame to make himself a threat in the red zone. 

Pope's numbers through four games project out to a regular-season total of 36 receptions for 540 yards and six touchdowns. That is a heck of a season for a wide receiver who was not among the top four receivers on the team when the season started. 

WDE Myles Garrett

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Myles Garrett was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country, according to 247sports.com. The 6'5", 255-pound freshman defensive end has lived up to the hype and quite possibly exceeded it. 

After four games, Garrett has already tied the school record for sacks by a freshman with 5.5. He leads the Aggies in sacks and tackles for loss with 6.5 on the season. His 17 tackles are tied for fourth on the team. 

Garrett has had as big of an impact as any freshman in the college game. If he continues to play at this level, he will earn All-American honors. 

Given his ranking coming out of high school, it was reasonable to expect Garrett to make an impact as a freshman. However, no one could have expected him to step in and be one of the best pass-rushers in the country immediately. 

DT Alonzo Williams

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Texas A&M junior defensive tackle Alonzo Williams has quietly put together a very good season. He is fourth on the team in tackles with 17 through four games, which is a very good number for a defensive tackle. 

Williams has been strong at the point of attack and is a big reason the Aggies are only allowing an average of 3.2 yards per rush. He has recorded two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks on the season. 

Williams has proven that he is a quality defensive tackle in the SEC. He was a strong-side defensive end as a freshman, and a bit undersized at around 275 pounds at defensive tackle as a junior. Williams added some good weight before the 2014 season and is now tipping the scales at close to 300 pounds.

If Williams can keep playing at this level, then he should earn All-Conference consideration in 2014.