Aaron Hansford to Texas A&M: Aggies Land 4-Star LB Prospect

One of the 2016 class' premier outside linebackers has finally found a home, as Aaron Hansford committed to Texas A&M Wednesday.

Adam Friedman of Rivals.com reported Hansford's decision.

The 6'2", 210-pound native of Washington, D.C., is rated by 247Sports as a 4-star prospect, and he is the No. 12-ranked player in the country at his position.

Many of the top schools in the nation courted Hansford in an attempt to land his unique skill set, as evidenced by this listing of his top 10 choices, according to Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue:

Remarkably, Texas A&M wasn't even on Hansford's radar in December, yet it ultimately managed to leapfrog at least 10 other schools.

With so many great programs pursuing him, Hansford decided to take his time before coming to a final decision.

Per ESPN.com's Gerry Hamilton, that was a conscious move on the part of the St. John's College High School standout based on his comments during the fall:

"

I don't really have a timetable. I want to make a decision as soon as I feel like I'm comfortable with the school and the environment. I don't know when that will fall. It could be after the season, around the Under Armour Game or close to signing day. I don't really know because I want to make the correct decision and not regret it later.

"

Now that Hansford has finalized his choice, the focus shifts toward what he will bring to the table during his freshman season and beyond.

While he is a smaller linebacker in terms of weight, his speed and athleticism set him apart from many of his peers and are perhaps the biggest reasons why he was so coveted. According to 247Sports, Hansford boasts a 40-yard dash of 4.51 seconds, which is comparable to many defensive backs.

As seen in this video from Under Armour All-America Game practices, courtesy of Rivals.com, his quickness makes him a major asset in pass coverage:

Hansford also figures to excel when it comes to tracking ball-carriers from sideline to sideline because of his speed, which is why it is easy to envision him being a star in the college game.

He may need to bulk up a bit in order to develop into a premier NFL prospect down the line, but he has a chance to be successful at the collegiate level based solely on his current physique and skill set.

Teams coached by Kevin Sumlin are primarily known for their offenses, but defense was actually the Aggies' biggest strength in 2015, as they ranked 29th in the nation in points allowed.

Sumlin is clearly looking to build upon that, and bringing in an athletically gifted linebacker like Hansford should keep the positive momentum rolling.

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