and it's being built faster than I thought it would be originally. Creativity is a big reason for this. Just think about some of the walk-ons being added - someone from VaTech (via Canada), someone from UAB (via Georgia), someone from South Carolina, a HS kid from Florida, a college kid from Florida, a college kid from Texas, a college kid from Arizona (via Kansas JUCO), and many more...that's just insane. You can't expect things like this - this is exceptional work by the staff
During the Spring, looking at the roster was depressing - let's be honest, it was really bad. Now when I look at it, I see hope. I was expecting to see hope next year, but I see it now...
Now while it is being built quicker than expected, it is still going to take roughly two more years to be solid all around. There is still some work that needs to be done, but the way this is setting up...well let's look at it position by position...
QUARTERBACK
Cozart, Ford, Cummings, and Millweard will all graduate within two years, of which we will only be left with Willis, Stanley, and Perry. The good news is those kids have some talent. I truly believe we will get solid QB play from those guys down the road - while we need some young bodies at QB (not necessarily in the 2016 class), we should have a couple of solid QBs on the roster for the next 4 to 5 years without considering future additions...
RUNNING BACK
We will lose Taylor Cox and DeAndre Mann, but will return Kinner, Taylor Martin, and Ryan Schadler. I think that is a very solid trio of RBs with speed. Now we will lose Kinner after next year, so getting a solid couple of RBs in 2016 and 2017 is a big priority , but remember getting RBs that can contribute right away is easier than most positions
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
I think one of the biggest news of camp that isn't getting a lot of talk is the emergence of Steven Sims. That's some pretty big news - we can get four years from him. It also sounded like Jeremiah Booker was impressing before an injury and Emmanuel Moore has turned it up some and Sternberger is showing some flashes - thats 4 - 5 years from those guys. You then have sophomore eligibility wise guys in Neal, Quiv Gonzalez, Ben Johnson Perdue, Hartzog and Patrick - 3 years from them. Even with losing Stanford, Parmalee, and Taylor in the next two years, we should be strong after they leave.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
This is one spot I think we are living on the edge right now and will be year-to-year for one more year. We really only have two solid OTs right now in Mazyck and JSS (McCauley and Hughes have potential, but too early for them). We lose Mazyck and will essentially replace him with Malanga. We may have to target a JUCO OT in the 2017 class to replace JSS as well (although one of the young guys might be ready). But this is one spot that I thought the walk-on additions were huge. In 3 years, Larry Hughes, Hunter Saulsbury, and Mesa Ribordy all have potential and will likely be RS Sophomores by then. I wouldn't expect (although it's possible) for them to be starters by then, but they should be at least quality backups by then. Throw in guys like Cam Durley and Antione Frazier joining the team. Bragg, Gibson, Garza, and Rhodes will still be around in three years. So for this year and next year, I think we may be living a little bit dangerous...but by year 3 we should actually start having a legit two deep on the OL and it's been a long time since we have said that
DEFENSIVE ENDS
I think the DEs could be the strength of the team this year and next year...but we will lose Semke, Goodman, Mosby, and Olobia within two years. However, we will have Ehambe and Armstrong as juniors by then. We will also have a couple of walk ons who I think can be solid depth in Mazin Aql and Jason Nix then. But the addition of Timmy Hamilton is huge - in year three he will be a senior and we are looking at combining him with Ehambe and Armstrong. We may need a JUCO DE in the 2017 class to help, but the addition of Hamilton is huge in terms of (at minimum) depth.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
We will lose Corey King and Kapil Fletcher this year. We will lose Tyler Holmes and Devon Williams next year. But we will return Daniel Wise, DJ Williams, Mene Perese, and Jacky Dezir. This is where the addition of Amani Bledsoe would be absolutely monstrous - adding him would turn the DTs into potentially solid to potentially a strength. If Lay'Trion Jones returns, even better. But if we can land one more solid DT in addition to Bledsoe and Perese in this class...we will have gone from a weakness up the middle to a strength in just two years...
LINEBACKERS
Last Spring...we were in trouble here...fast forward a few months and we are now potentially solid. We will lose Arnick, Roberts, and Miles over the next two years. However, we will return Dineen, Ogbebor, Watson, Taufa (I will not call him a DE here today!), and Duckworth here. There are also a couple of potentially solid walk ons that could earn a scholarship down the road as well. We are well diversified/layered here when considering we only need two LBs for the next three to four years
SAFETIES
The safeties could be a strength next year...but we will lose Shaw, Smithson, Bates, Allen, and Glatczak over the next two years. We don't have much in the of depth here yet...but I see some creative ways around this...
First let's consider the nickelback spot. Bowen said this is essentially a hybrid LB/S spot. Part of me wonders if Duckworth ends up playing this spot with his speed (at the open practice this past week, I noticed him covering receivers in the flat well). I also think this could be a solid role for Feaster since I am not sure if he will end up being a safety or LB. Then there is Mason Ramirez - I think this walk on could be a solid backup at this spot...
Now the other two safety spots. One will have to be a true safety and the other will have to be a third CB essentially. You saw Sendish and Bates move from CB spots to play this role. A guy I could see moving into this type of role is Tyrone Miller - I could see him being a starting CB this year but FS type next year or the year after. I could also see Shaquille Richmond filling this role. Now at SS, we need a guy here. If we could get DeMarkus Acy, pencil him in this spot now. Ian Peterson is another guy I think could fill this role with how physical he is. So there is still some work to do here, but the addition of just one solid guy and maybe a couple of JUCOs (or a 2016 blueshirt...I am telling you A&M has a ton of talented DBs and think one will transfer) and we are solid...
CORNERBACKS
We will lose Stewart, Davis, and Ogletree within two years, but I really like some of the young guys we have in this class. I would wager a small fortune that Kyle Mayberry is a starter at CB by his SO or RS FR year. Boateng will be a senior after those guys leave. I think people are going to really like Marquis Smith. And don't sleep on Shola Ayinde - he has some cover skills. There is a little bit more risk here with this group, and this may be more of a strength by the time they are RS SO or juniors...but there is some talent with these guys coming in...
If everything goes as planned, we should be solid depth wise across the board three years from now. That's not to say we can't have success before then, but this certainly helps the chances of us having sustained success in the future. It isn't coincidental that 3 years from now is very close to when we should be back to near normal scholarship numbers (likely year 4), and this staff will have to do a solid job of keeping kids here and developing the kids, but it is hard to not get excited about the future of the program.
During the Spring, looking at the roster was depressing - let's be honest, it was really bad. Now when I look at it, I see hope. I was expecting to see hope next year, but I see it now...
Now while it is being built quicker than expected, it is still going to take roughly two more years to be solid all around. There is still some work that needs to be done, but the way this is setting up...well let's look at it position by position...
QUARTERBACK
Cozart, Ford, Cummings, and Millweard will all graduate within two years, of which we will only be left with Willis, Stanley, and Perry. The good news is those kids have some talent. I truly believe we will get solid QB play from those guys down the road - while we need some young bodies at QB (not necessarily in the 2016 class), we should have a couple of solid QBs on the roster for the next 4 to 5 years without considering future additions...
RUNNING BACK
We will lose Taylor Cox and DeAndre Mann, but will return Kinner, Taylor Martin, and Ryan Schadler. I think that is a very solid trio of RBs with speed. Now we will lose Kinner after next year, so getting a solid couple of RBs in 2016 and 2017 is a big priority , but remember getting RBs that can contribute right away is easier than most positions
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
I think one of the biggest news of camp that isn't getting a lot of talk is the emergence of Steven Sims. That's some pretty big news - we can get four years from him. It also sounded like Jeremiah Booker was impressing before an injury and Emmanuel Moore has turned it up some and Sternberger is showing some flashes - thats 4 - 5 years from those guys. You then have sophomore eligibility wise guys in Neal, Quiv Gonzalez, Ben Johnson Perdue, Hartzog and Patrick - 3 years from them. Even with losing Stanford, Parmalee, and Taylor in the next two years, we should be strong after they leave.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
This is one spot I think we are living on the edge right now and will be year-to-year for one more year. We really only have two solid OTs right now in Mazyck and JSS (McCauley and Hughes have potential, but too early for them). We lose Mazyck and will essentially replace him with Malanga. We may have to target a JUCO OT in the 2017 class to replace JSS as well (although one of the young guys might be ready). But this is one spot that I thought the walk-on additions were huge. In 3 years, Larry Hughes, Hunter Saulsbury, and Mesa Ribordy all have potential and will likely be RS Sophomores by then. I wouldn't expect (although it's possible) for them to be starters by then, but they should be at least quality backups by then. Throw in guys like Cam Durley and Antione Frazier joining the team. Bragg, Gibson, Garza, and Rhodes will still be around in three years. So for this year and next year, I think we may be living a little bit dangerous...but by year 3 we should actually start having a legit two deep on the OL and it's been a long time since we have said that
DEFENSIVE ENDS
I think the DEs could be the strength of the team this year and next year...but we will lose Semke, Goodman, Mosby, and Olobia within two years. However, we will have Ehambe and Armstrong as juniors by then. We will also have a couple of walk ons who I think can be solid depth in Mazin Aql and Jason Nix then. But the addition of Timmy Hamilton is huge - in year three he will be a senior and we are looking at combining him with Ehambe and Armstrong. We may need a JUCO DE in the 2017 class to help, but the addition of Hamilton is huge in terms of (at minimum) depth.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
We will lose Corey King and Kapil Fletcher this year. We will lose Tyler Holmes and Devon Williams next year. But we will return Daniel Wise, DJ Williams, Mene Perese, and Jacky Dezir. This is where the addition of Amani Bledsoe would be absolutely monstrous - adding him would turn the DTs into potentially solid to potentially a strength. If Lay'Trion Jones returns, even better. But if we can land one more solid DT in addition to Bledsoe and Perese in this class...we will have gone from a weakness up the middle to a strength in just two years...
LINEBACKERS
Last Spring...we were in trouble here...fast forward a few months and we are now potentially solid. We will lose Arnick, Roberts, and Miles over the next two years. However, we will return Dineen, Ogbebor, Watson, Taufa (I will not call him a DE here today!), and Duckworth here. There are also a couple of potentially solid walk ons that could earn a scholarship down the road as well. We are well diversified/layered here when considering we only need two LBs for the next three to four years
SAFETIES
The safeties could be a strength next year...but we will lose Shaw, Smithson, Bates, Allen, and Glatczak over the next two years. We don't have much in the of depth here yet...but I see some creative ways around this...
First let's consider the nickelback spot. Bowen said this is essentially a hybrid LB/S spot. Part of me wonders if Duckworth ends up playing this spot with his speed (at the open practice this past week, I noticed him covering receivers in the flat well). I also think this could be a solid role for Feaster since I am not sure if he will end up being a safety or LB. Then there is Mason Ramirez - I think this walk on could be a solid backup at this spot...
Now the other two safety spots. One will have to be a true safety and the other will have to be a third CB essentially. You saw Sendish and Bates move from CB spots to play this role. A guy I could see moving into this type of role is Tyrone Miller - I could see him being a starting CB this year but FS type next year or the year after. I could also see Shaquille Richmond filling this role. Now at SS, we need a guy here. If we could get DeMarkus Acy, pencil him in this spot now. Ian Peterson is another guy I think could fill this role with how physical he is. So there is still some work to do here, but the addition of just one solid guy and maybe a couple of JUCOs (or a 2016 blueshirt...I am telling you A&M has a ton of talented DBs and think one will transfer) and we are solid...
CORNERBACKS
We will lose Stewart, Davis, and Ogletree within two years, but I really like some of the young guys we have in this class. I would wager a small fortune that Kyle Mayberry is a starter at CB by his SO or RS FR year. Boateng will be a senior after those guys leave. I think people are going to really like Marquis Smith. And don't sleep on Shola Ayinde - he has some cover skills. There is a little bit more risk here with this group, and this may be more of a strength by the time they are RS SO or juniors...but there is some talent with these guys coming in...
If everything goes as planned, we should be solid depth wise across the board three years from now. That's not to say we can't have success before then, but this certainly helps the chances of us having sustained success in the future. It isn't coincidental that 3 years from now is very close to when we should be back to near normal scholarship numbers (likely year 4), and this staff will have to do a solid job of keeping kids here and developing the kids, but it is hard to not get excited about the future of the program.
