Texas A&M Football: Is A&M SEC Ready?

All that is left of the abomination that was the 2011 football season for Texas A&M is the bowl game. While everyone waits to see what bowl bid the Aggies receive, there is time to take a look at the future.

The Aggies will enter the Southeastern Conference in 2012. It will be their first year in the toughest football conference in the country.

The question is whether the Ags are ready for the step up in competition. Their mediocre record in 2011 would seem to suggest the answer to that question is a resounding no.

It is not that easy, though.

The 2011 version of the Aggie football team had an amazing ability to find a way to lose games, while the 2010 version found a way to win close games.

There is talent in this program, but it remains to be seen whether that talent will equal wins on the field in the SEC.

I wanted to take a position by position look at the A&M team to see if they are ready for the SEC. For arguments sake, the recruits currently committed to A&M will be included in the evaluation. Every position will simply be designated as ready for the SEC or not ready.

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill will graduate and move on to the NFL. The Aggies are left with Matt Joeckel, Jameill Showers and Johnny Manziel on the roster.

Matt Davis is on track to arrive in January and is the only quarterback in the 2012 class.

In the SEC most of the quarterbacks are game managers. Arkansas requires their quarterbacks to win or lose the game, but for the most part the SEC is a running league.

Tyler Wilson and Aaron Murray are the only real passers in the SEC right now.

Joeckel has looked great in spring scrimmages, but has not received any game action. Showers is No. 2 on the depth chart and evidently looks good in practices. Manziel redshirted in 2011 and I think he will win the starting job for the 2012 season.

Matt Davis will redshirt.

Conclusion: Not SEC ready

Running Back

Cyrus Gray is graduating and will move on to the NFL.

Christine Michael rushed for 899 yards and will be coming off an ACL injury. It takes two years for a player to be 100 percent recovered from an ACL injury, so I expect Michael to play in 2012 but not be as effective as in 2011.

Ben Malena rushed for 182 yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry while scoring two touchdowns.

Will Randolph saw limited action in the Kansas game and will be a viable speed back.

Marion Grice and Trey Williams will come in the 2012 recruiting class and will help right away. Grice should offer the Ags another power option along with Michael and Malena. Williams should make an immediate impact at running back and returning kickoffs.

The SEC is a physical league and you need a lot of depth at running back to get through the year. With Grice and Williams coming in, A&M has that kind of depth.

Conclusion: SEC ready

Wide Receiver

The Aggies return six receivers who caught passes in 2011. Jeff Fuller graduated and will move on to the NFL. The Aggies will have a very senior-heavy lineup at wide receiver.

Ryan Swope returns after leading the Aggies with 81 catches for 1,102 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Uzoma Nwachukwu will be a senior and will finally have a chance to be the No. 1 receiver. In 2011 Nwachukwu caught 45 passes for 572 yards and two touchdowns. He needs to be more consistent in catching the ball.

Kenric McNeal and Brandal Jackson both return for their senior seasons. Both can be breakout players. It is just a question of whether they will put it all together on the field.

Nate Askew will be a redshirt sophomore. He has the size and speed to dominate at the position, he just simply needs to play better. Malcome Kennedy is another redshirt sophomore who can make waves.

Mike Evans redshirted in 2011 and gives the Aggies a physical option in the red zone.

The Aggies are bringing in Jaevon Richardson, Trent Momon, Bralon Addison and Marcus Johnson at wide receiver in the 2012 class. I expect Richardson to redshirt to recover from a knee injury.

Expect Addison, Momon and Johnson to compete for playing time right away.

The Aggies may be returning the best group of receivers in the SEC. The question is whether some of them will step it up on the field. The talent is definitely there.

Conclusion: SEC ready

Tight End

The Aggies return three tight ends with extensive playing experience.

Michael Lamothe, Nehemiah Hicks and Hutson Prioleau have all played extensively for the past two years. All three are solid players.

They can all block and catch the ball.

Tommy Dorman saw a lot of playing time against SMU but did not play much the rest of the year.

Nehemiah Hicks has the physical ability to play on Sundays. He just needs to put everything together on the field.

Conclusion: SEC ready

Offensive Line

The Ags will return all five of their starters on the OL.

Luke Joeckel, Cedric Ogbuehi, Patrick Lewis, Brian Thomas and Jake Matthews were the starters at the end of the season. Jarvis Harrison and Shep Klinke also started at OG for the Ags.

Joseph Cheek and Nathan Gutekunst both redshirted in 2011 and will offer depth in 2012.

Look for Jarvis Harrison to take over Cedric Ogbuehi's spot at guard in 2012.

A&M is bringing in a great OL class in 2012 with Adrian Bellard, Germain Ifedi, Mike Matthews, Kimo Tipoti and Mike Wilson arriving in the fall.

The offensive line is probably the strongest position on the football team. They need to get stronger to prepare for the rigors of the SEC.

Conclusion: SEC ready

Defensive Line

The Aggies lose starters Eddie Brown and Tony Jerod-Eddie to graduation. Expect Jerod Eddie to get drafted in the NFL. Ben Bass will also graduate.

Jonathan Mathis' status is up in the air as he waits for a decision on his medical redshirt. It should be a pretty cut and dry deal so he should receive his redshirt.

If Mathis returns then you have he and Spencer Nealy returning at defensive end.

Ben Compton showed some ability at nose guard this year after he switched over from the OL. He has some natural strength and should be better in the spring after he spends his first offseason in the strength program.

Kirby Ennis will also be in the picture at nose guard.

Shayvion Hatten redshirted and should fight it out with Nealy for the starting spot at DE.

Gavin Stansbury showed some promise as a backup in 2011 with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

Steven Barrera's status is up in the air right now. He missed the entire season with an injury. He has the size to compete in the SEC at DE, but his medical issues may prevent him from participating.

The Aggies are bringing in Alonzo Williams, Julien Obioha and Tyrone Taylor at defensive end in the 2012 class. If Logan David qualifies out of Blinn Junior College, he will slide right into the starting NG spot.

The Aggies need to add another couple of juco DL prospects to shore up this position. They need more size particularly at NG to compete in the SEC and the juco recruits can offer that.

Conclusion: Not SEC ready

Inside Linebacker

The Aggies struggled to find an inside linebacker combination that worked in 2011.

At the end of the year, Jonathan Stewart and Steve Jenkins had locked down the position and their play improved as the season went on.

Stewart led the team with 89 tackles to go along with two sacks. He seems to be poised for a great senior season. Jenkins came on late and ended the season with 52 tackles. He showed the kind of physical play that made him a top recruit out of junior college.

Donnie Baggs and Dominique Patterson saw playing time at inside linebacker in 2011. They should offer depth in 2012.

Shaun Ward should move back to his natural spot on the outside in the spring.

Darzil Washington redshirted in 2011.

Charlie Thomas had two starts because of injuries and finished the season with 30 tackles. He should see extensive playing time next year in the nickel package. Garrick Williams graduates. He had a very disappointing senior year.

The Ags are bringing in Jordan Richmond and Eddie Porter in the 2012 class. Both will compete for playing time along with Washington, Baggs and Patterson to back up Stewart and Jenkins.

In the SEC, they have to be strong up the middle on defense. Stewart and Jenkins are going to have to step up their game.

Conclusion: Not SEC ready

Outside Linebacker

Sean Porter and Damontre Moore are both coming off of all conference type seasons.

Porter had 73 tackles with 16 tackles for loss and led the conference with 8.5 sacks. Moore had 63 tackles 15.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Together they will be one of the better pass rushing duos returning in the nation in 2012.

Caleb Russell started at OLB in 2011 but should end up more of a situational pass rusher in 2012.

Tyrell Taylor has a great first step but badly needs to add some size. Shaun Ward should move back to OLB in the spring.

Brandon Alexander showed a lot of promise when he was healthy. He, Taylor and Ward should fight for second string spots behind Moore and Porter.

Troy Green will be arriving in the fall and will likely get a look at OLB. Tyrone Taylor could also get a look depending on how heavy he is when he arrives in August.

Conclusion: SEC ready

Defensive Backs

Trent Hunter, Terrence Frederick, Lionel Smith and Coryell Judie are all graduating. Judie and Frederick will get a chance to play on Sundays.

Stephen Campbell, Steven Terrell, Toney Hurd Jr. and Howard Matthews all started at least two games at safety.

Campbell is one of the best athletes on the team and has the size and speed ratio to make him a top NFL draft pick. The issue is that he can never stay healthy. He should lock down one of the starting spots at safety for 2012.

Matthews is great at rushing the quarterback on safety blitzes and finished the year with two sacks. He needs to work on his coverage skills, but is a great overall athlete. He and Terrell will fight it out for the other starting spot opposite Campbell. Johntel Franklin redshirted and will be in the mix.

At corner the Aggies return Dustin Harris. He may be the fastest player on the team and probably has the best pure cover skills. Three years ago he shut down A.J. Green in a bowl game.

The problem with Harris is that he is incredibly inconsistent. He has the size and speed to play in the NFL. It is unknown whether he will ever find the consistency.

Deshazor Everett and Floyd Raven saw playing time as freshmen. They will be in the mix for a starting spot at corner.

In the 2012 class the Aggies are bringing in Collin Blake, Otis Jacobs, Kenneth Marshall, Darion Monroe and Corey Thompson.

Jacobs, Marshall and Monroe should all get a serious look at corner. All five of the defensive backs in the Ags 2012 class have the size required for the SEC.

Conclusion: Not SEC ready