Texas A&M Football: 7 Recruits the Aggies Need to Land to Compete in the SEC

Officials from Texas A&M are up in New York interviewing prospective head coaching candidates.

Meanwhile the A&M assistant coaches are keeping in contact with the members of the 2012 recruiting class who have already committed.

Every day that the interview process continues is another day lost to possibly adding more recruits to this class.The Aggies have some immediate needs that have to be met in order to compete on the field right away in 2012.

The Aggies need to hire a coach soon so he can get on the road and finish out this class.

This is a look at a few recruits the Aggies could bring in who would immediately help them win games in the SEC in 2012.

Javonte Magee DE San Antonio, TX 6'5" 260

The SEC features the best offensive and defensive lines in the country.

If the Aggies want to compete in 2012, then they need to shore up their defensive line.

Magee is the top-ranked defensive lineman in Texas who has not committed anywhere yet. He is still in contact with the A&M coaches, but his recruitment is up in the air right now. No one seems to know where he is leaning.

Magee has the size to step in right away and get playing time at DE in the Aggies 3-4 defense.

As a junior Magee had 96 tackles and six sacks on the year. He spent a lot of time at DT for the Sam Houston High School Hurricanes and looks like an ideal 3-4 DE. If he goes to a 4-3 school then he will end up at DT.

Polo Manukainiu DE Euless,TX 6'6" 250

Manukainiu is currently committed to the Oklahoma Sooners.

He has shown some interest in the Aggies. His cousin Semisi Heimuli played for A&M in the late 90's.

Manikainiu is another DE who has the size and strength to step in and play immediately at DE for the Aggies. He could play inside or outside for the Ags.

Terrell Williams is the defensive line coach for the Aggies and probably the Aggies best recruiter. He was recruiting Manukainiu. If the Ags new head coach retains Williams, it will help in the recruitment of Manukainiu.

He is the type of DL who can flourish in a 4-3 or a 3-4, so he should be very coveted by whoever ends up as the defensive coordinator for A&M.

Denzel Devall LB Bastrop, LA 6'2" 230

Devall is one of the top linebacker prospects in the country. At 6'2" and 230 plus pounds, he is physically capable of playing as a true freshman.

Devall can play ILB or OLB for the Aggies. He is the most physically gifted linebacker still considering A&M.

Right now Devall has a final three of LSU, Alabama and A&M. I think it is really a battle between A&M and Alabama with the Tide in the lead.

This is another recruit where whoever ends up as the head coach for the Ags will have to forge a quick relationship and try to reel him in.

The Aggies will have three seniors starting among the four linebacker spots in the 3-4 scheme next year. Devall should be able to step in and compete for playing time immediately and start as a second-year freshman.

He will be extremely hard to pull away from Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

Dalton Santos LB Van, TX 6'2" 250

Dalton Santos is probably the top pure middle linebacker in the state of Texas this year. He is currently committed to Tennessee.

The Ags have recruited Santos very hard, and it appears that he simply wants to go out of state.

There is a concern with Santos that he will keep getting heavier and will arrive on campus at 270 and immediately have to be moved to DE.

Santos is a good enough athlete to win his district in track in the shotput and discus and also advance as a member of the 4x100 and 4x200 relay. He has legit 4.7 speed which is great for a MLB.

Santos plays with a bit of an attitude and has been ejected from games as a senior. The Aggies could use a little bit of that attitude at linebacker. Landing Santos would send notice to the rest of the SEC that the Ags are to be taken seriously on the recruiting trail.

The Aggies will start two seniors at ILB in 2012 and like Devall, Santos could be a starter as a second-year sophomore.

Darrington Sentimore DL Gulf Coast (MS) CC 6'3" 270

Sentimore is a junior college defensive line recruit who spent two years at Alabama before transferring out.

He is currently considering A&M and Tennessee. He is a must-have for the Aggie coaches.

The Aggies have a tremendous need for depth on the defensive line, and Sentimore would likely step in and start at either NG or DE.

The Aggies need to add a couple of juco defensive linemen, and Sentimore is the most likely prospect at this time. He should be one of the first recruits that the new head coach contacts after he accepts the job.

The Aggies need to be stronger on the DL in 2012, and Sentimore would be a huge part of that if the Aggies were able to land him.

Aziz Shittu DT Atwater, CA 6'3" 275

If the Ags were able to land Shittu, that would represent the biggest recruiting coup of the year for the maroon and white.

He is considered to be one of the top defensive linemen in the nation. He has already taken a look at the Aggies and apparently moved on. A new coach might change the equation for him.

Shittu would step in immediately and get playing time at DE and NG. He could realistically be a four-year starter for the Ags. He has that kind of talent.

While the odds are long on this one, he is someone that the new coach should consider. He is still undecided, and you never know what can happen this late in the game.

Damien Jacobs DT East Mississippi CC 6'4" 285

Jacobs is in the same boat as Sentimore. He is a must-have for the Aggies defensive line.

Jacobs is currently a Tennessee commit but is still looking around.

He would step in and likely start at NG in 2012. The Aggies need juco defensive linemen, and Sentimore and Jacobs are their best bets at the position.

Whoever the Aggies hire as their head coach needs to hit the ground running when it comes to recruiting and needs to bring in at least two junior college defensive linemen to add depth to the position.

The SEC is the toughest conference in the nation because the teams in it have the best offensive and defensive lines in the country. The Ags need to add depth so they will not be run over all year long.