Texas A&M Football: Starting Lineup Projection for 2012

In 2012, the Texas A&M football team will play their first season in the Southeastern Conference.

The Aggies will take a step up in competition from the Big 12. The SEC will present new challenges on the field in style of play and the depth of the opposing teams.

The Aggies will have to replace their starting quarterback, running back and a wide receiver on offense. On defense they will have to replace as least one defensive lineman and both starting corners.

When the Aggies announced they were joining the SEC, the general consensus from the local and national media was that they would get killed in their new conference and should remain in the Big 12. It is important that the Ags show they can be competitive immediately in their new conference.

The question is, who is going to replace the departed seniors and lead the Aggies in the SEC?

This is a look at the projected starting lineup for the 2012 Texas A&M football team.

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill will graduate and move onto the NFL after the 2011 season.

One of the big questions in Aggieland is who will start under center in 2012?

The prevailing feeling is that sophomore Jameill Showers will start for the Aggies in 2012. Showers is the only quarterback who will return with any playing experience. Showers is 4-of-5 passing for 40 yards in limited play this season.

Matt Joeckel is in the same class as Showers. He is not quite as mobile as Showers but may have a bigger arm. He has classic NFL size at 6'4" 234. 

Matt Davis is a member of the 2012 recruiting class who finished high school early and will enroll at A&M in January. He will get a chance to compete for the starting job also.

The best bet to start in 2012 is Johnny Manziel. The redshirt freshman offers the kind of mobility and accuracy that Kevin Sumlin prefers for his system.

Running Back

Christine Michael started most of the 2011 season but was lost to an ACL injury against Oklahoma.

If his rehab goes well then you should expect him to start in 2012. It usually takes two years to completely recover from an ACL injury so do not expect Michael to be as explosive in 2012.

Ben Malena got the start against Texas in 2011 and should share carries with Michael.

Will Randolph will give the Aggies a speed option out of the backfield. Look for Sumlin to try to get Randolph the ball in open space.

If Trey Williams signs with the Aggies in February then he will see significant playing time in 2012 also.

The SEC is such a physical league that you need multiple running backs just to get through the season. The Aggies return multiple backs with playing experience but with Michael still a question because of his injury, there are still a lot of questions at the position.

Michael will get the start when the Aggies play their first game of 2012.

Wide Receiver

Ryan Swope set records this year for receiving yards, catches and touchdowns in a season for Texas A&M. He will start in the slot in 2012 if he decides against declaring early for the NFL draft.

Uzoma Nwachukwu has started games for the past three seasons. At times he has been spectacular but his inconsistent play has frustrated many fans. He will be a senior in 2012 and is expected to be a starter on the outside.

Malcome Kennedy had some big catches for third-down conversions in 2011. Expect him to start if the Aggies use a three-receiver set for their base offense in 2012.

Nate Askew, Mike Adams, Kenric McNeal and Brandal Jackson will all have a chance to show Sumlin what they can do in the spring and will compete with Kennedy for a starting spot. 

Right now I would put my money on Swope, Nwachukwu and Kennedy being named the starters in 2012.

Tight End

Nehemiah Hicks will be a junior in 2012 and it is time for him to step up. At 6'4" 249, he has the size and speed to be a mismatch at the tight end position.

He has the highest ceiling of any of the recruits on campus. When Sumlin coached the A&M offense in 2002 he split Greg Porter out wide a lot to exploit the mismatch of Porter against a linebacker. Expect Sumlin to use Hicks in the same way.

Hutson Prioleau and Michael Lamothe both return as juniors with two years of starting experience. Lamothe excels as a blocker and has been great around the goal line for the Aggies.

Expect Hicks to start but for both Prioleau and Lamothe to both see extensive playing time in 2012. Do not be surprised to see Sumlin use all three of them in some three-tight-end sets.

Offensive Line

The Aggies will return all five starters on the offense line in 2012. They also return two players in Jarvis Harrison and Shep Klinke who started games in 2011.

Expect Jarvis Harrison to take over for Cedric Ogbuehi at left guard.

The starting lineup for the Aggies should be Luke Joeckel at left tackle, Harrison at left guard, Patrick Lewis at center, Brian Thomas at right guard and Jake Matthews at right tackle. All except for Lewis will be starting for their third year in a row at their respective positions.

They should form one of the best offensive lines in the country and one of the best in A&M's history.

Defensive Line

The Aggies had three senior starters on the defensive line in 2011. 

Tony Jerod-Eddie and Eddie Brown will be lost to graduation. Jonathan Mathis' status is still up in the air because no one knows how the NCAA will rule on his request for a medical redshirt.

When Mathis went down Spencer Nealy stepped into the starting lineup and had a solid season.

If Mathis' appeal is denied then Nealy will be the only returning starter.

Expect Ben Compton to get the starting nod at NG. Nealy will be the starter at one defensive end spot. The other defensive end spot will either be Mathis or Shayvion Hatten, who is coming off of a redshirt year.

Gavin Standbury needs to add some weight before he makes a real run at becoming a starter. Kirby Ennis will provide some depth at NG.

Linebackers

The Aggies return all four of their starting linebackers from 2011.

Sean Porter and Damontre Moore will return on the outside. The two should form a dynamic pass-rushing combination in the SEC in 2012. Both of them should compete for All-Conference honors.

Jonathan Stewart and Steve Jenkins return at ILB.

Jenkins really stepped up his play as the season went on. He earned starts in the last two regular-season games against Kansas and Texas, and played his best football.

Stewart led the team in tackles and is expected to have a great senior season.

Defensive Backs

The Aggies lose both starting corners Coryell Judie and Terrence Fredrick to graduation. They also lose Trent Hunter who was a four-year starter at free safety.

Steven Campbell will return at strong safety.

Steven Terrell has some starting experience at safety and will get the first shot to replace Hunter.

Howard Matthews started two games at strong safety and will compete for the open spot at free safety.

Dustin Harris will be a senior in 2012. He started at corner as a true freshman. He has been the Aggies' third corner the past two seasons as he has been plagued with inconsistency.

Otis Jacobs just graduated from junior college and will enroll at A&M in January and participate in spring drills with the Ags.

Expect Harris to beat out Jacobs for one starting spot at corner. Floyd Raven should start at the other corner position.

Steven Campbell and Howard Matthews will start at safety. Matthews' size and physical play will be valued over Terrell in the SEC where they do not pass as much as the Big 12.

Special Teams

The Aggies will lose one of the best place kickers in their history when Randy Bullock graduates and moves on to the NFL. The first Lou Groza Award winner in the school's history will be sorely missed.

Ryan Epperson will be a senior but he was a very inconsistent punter in 2011.

The Aggies gave scholarships to a punter and a kicker in the 2011 recruiting class. Expect both of them to start in 2012.

Drew Kaser should be fully recovered from a groin injury that kept him from playing in 2011 and will be the punter.

Taylor Bertolet will take over for Bullock as the place kicker.