Position-by-Position Preview of Texas A&M's 2015 Roster
With the members of its latest recruiting class now on campus in College Station, Texas A&M's 2015 roster looks all set as the Aggies try to rebound from last year's eight-win campaign.
Texas A&M now has some options at quarterback and what looks to be a major battle brewing between two former 5-stars this fall. The Aggies' refocused rushing attack will line up behind a solid offensive line and alongside some of the best playmakers at wide receiver in the entire SEC.
On defense, new coordinator John Chavis inherits a number of young stars on a unit that has struggled the last few seasons. The strength looks to be along the defensive line, while the linebackers and defensive backs are looking for new stars as they head into the 2015 season.
Texas A&M hopes this roster of young stars and experienced veterans will be able to contend for the SEC West title and perhaps a College Football Playoff spot this season.
Here is a position-by-position look at head coach Kevin Sumlin's roster for the upcoming campaign.
Quarterbacks
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One former starting quarterback is out of College Station, as Kenny Hill transferred out of Texas A&M this offseason and is now enrolled at TCU, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Carlos Mendez.
Hill's transfer left virtually no depth for the Aggies behind sophomore Kyle Allen, who finished the 2014 season as Hill's replacement. Allen went 3-2 with an upset road win against Auburn and a bowl victory against West Virginia in his five games as the Aggies' new signal-caller.
But last month, Texas A&M got good news when 5-star incoming freshman Kyler Murray announced he would opt out of the MLB draft and play football for the Aggies. A few days later, junior college quarterback Jake Hubenak signed on, giving the team three options at the position.
Given his talent, Murray will battle Allen for the starting job throughout the summer and into fall camp. If the true freshman does not grab the top spot on the depth chart, A&M could possibly redshirt him and let Hubenak back up the sophomore Allen in 2015.
Either way, the Aggies should now feel secure at quarterback.
Running Backs
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Texas A&M never could get its ground attack going last year through its three-man rotation of Tra Carson, Trey Williams and Brandon Williams.
While Trey Williams left school early for the NFL draft, the Aggies got a few key additions in the area, the biggest of which was new offensive line coach and running game coordinator Dave Christensen.
Seniors Carson and Brandon Williams should be the top running backs in what looks to be a refocused ground game in College Station. Carson, who missed the spring recovering from a foot injury, has recorded more carries between the two running backs in these last two seasons, and Williams is set to split time between running back and cornerback this fall.
Behind the seniors, Christensen has sophomore James White, who averaged almost seven yards per carry and already has the look of a great running back in the system. 247Sports' Jeff Tarpley called White "a bull in a china shop who runs with great lean, balance, pad level and power."
True freshmen Jay Bradford and Kendall Bussey will provide even more depth this season. The 4-star Bradford could be a speedy receiving option out of the backfield, while the 3-star Bussey also brings youth and quickness to the running back depth at A&M.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
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As expected, the Aggies have great depth and talent out wide this season, starting with the return of top receiver Josh Reynolds. The junior caught a school-record 13 touchdowns for Texas A&M despite the uncertainty at quarterback and averaged more than 16 yards per catch.
Reynolds is joined by standout sophomores Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones, both of whom had great freshman seasons last year. Noil flashed his high potential with five touchdown grabs, while Seals-Jones added four of his own after a redshirt season with the program.
In addition to that star trio and a handful of returning reserves, A&M has 5-star wide receiver Christian Kirk, who enrolled early and has the potential to be a difference-maker this fall. Kemah Siverand and Damion Ratley are two other newcomers to the group.
At tight end, Texas A&M must replace Cam Clear, who only recorded five catches for 34 yards in his senior season. Four-star Jordan Davis has an advantage of enrolling earlier this year, and former defensive end Brandon Alexander has gone through another offseason of preparation at the position.
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Offensive Linemen
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Texas A&M's offensive line took a step back in 2014, and Christensen will be tasked with rebuilding a strong front five for the offense. Fortunately, the new assistant coach has several returning starters and a solid amount of depth in this unit.
Junior Germain Ifedi started 10 games at right tackle as a sophomore and will be a leader for the entire offensive line this season. The Aggies will have to replace the talents of all-SEC left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, and redshirt junior Avery Gennesy worked out at both left and right tackle this spring, according to the Dallas Morning News' Brandon Wheeland.
At guard, senior Joseph Cheek started nine games at right guard after two years of action as a reserve. Redshirt junior Jermaine Eluemunor is set to become the new starter at left guard after solid work during spring practices.
Senior Mike Matthews will enter his third year of starting experience at center and will be a vital part of Texas A&M's uptempo offense. At reserve, A&M has several former blue-chip players to choose from, including redshirt freshman Koda Martin and early enrollee Keaton Sutherland.
Defensive Linemen
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Chavis' efforts to bring back the "Wrecking Crew" days of the Texas A&M defense already has a foundation across the line.
At defensive end, Myles Garrett finished second in the SEC in sacks as a freshman. If Garrett can improve on that pass-rushing prowess and bring it to big games against conference opponents, he could be in for a monster season under Chavis. On the other side of the line, junior Daeshon Hall is now listed at 260 pounds, and sophomore Qualen Cunningham provided decent minutes as a backup end last season.
On the inside, senior run-stopping end Julian Obioha moved to tackle this offseason as Chavis looks for pass-rushing capabilities on both edges. Fellow senior Alonzo Williams led all Aggie defensive linemen last season with 57 tackles.
Linebackers
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The 2014 season was mostly a forgettable one for A&M's linebackers. The Aggies are continuing to develop depth in what has been an underwhelming unit in the last few seasons.
Sophomore Otaro Alaka broke out late last season to grab a few starts and become the defensive MVP of Texas A&M's Liberty Bowl win against West Virginia. Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee called Alaka one of the most underrated players in the SEC, saying he is "fast, physical and flies to the football, which will play well under Chavis."
Alaka sat out during spring practices with injuries but should be able to return and be a leader at linebacker this fall.
In addition to Alaka, A.J. Hilliard returns to action this fall after going down with a season-ending ankle injury in 2014's opening game against South Carolina. Junior Shaan Washington posted the third-most tackles on the team in just 10 games of action last season but also sat out spring practice due to injury.
The newcomers at linebacker for Texas A&M include junior college transfer Claude George and true freshman Richard Moore, who went through spring practices for the banged-up unit. Sophomore Josh Walker is expected to get more work this season as the linebackers get healthy and reload for what could be a breakout season for the A&M defense.
Defensive Backs
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Texas A&M lost a couple of starters from a secondary that allowed the second-most passing yards per game in the SEC last season.
Even with those struggles, a few young players in this unit can give fans reason for optimism.
Armani Watts nabbed a team-high three interceptions while finishing fifth on the team in tackles as a freshman last season. The Aggies could use several more breakout seasons like Watts' last season and will continue to rely on him for big plays in the new coverage system.
Senior cornerback De'Vante Harris is another name to watch throughout this transitional year. If he can become a more consistent player, the Aggies could turn around their fortunes on big plays through the air. Senior safety Devonta Burns, who posted 57 tackles last year, is also back this fall and could benefit from a system change.
A wealth of newcomers should help the defensive backs take the next step this season. Junior college safety Justin Evans was a standout performer this spring, and will soon be joined by young blue-chip defensive backs Justin Dunning, Landry Pryor and Roney Elam.
If A&M can convert this mix of experience and youth into better play in the secondary, the Aggies could be an even more dangerous team in the SEC West this season.
Specialists
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On special teams, Texas A&M can rely on one of the most consistent performers in the country while it tries to find a new starter at the other specialist slot.
Although Drew Kaser's Heisman hashtag didn't quite work out in 2015, the former Ray Guy Award winner ranked No. 15 nationally with 44.15 yards per punt and, according to the school's official site, was just two "coffin corner" punts shy of tying Shane Lechler's record in 1998.
Kaser can flip the field and will be a weapon whenever the offense stalls this season.
At kicker, senior Taylor Bertolet held the starting job in 2012 thanks to his strong leg, but accuracy issues kept him behind the departed Josh Lambo in 2013 and 2014. Three-star freshman Daniel LaCamera will have a chance to compete for a starting job this fall and told 247Sports he has an eye toward taking over all special teams duties in the future.
In the return game, Noil is back after leading the team on both kickoffs and punts in 2014. After an offseason of development, Noil could have a breakout year in special teams and find the end zone on more than just passing plays.
Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is an on-call college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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