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The recent addition of Priest Willis Jr. to the Texas A&M roster continues a trend of the Aggies benefiting from players choosing to leave another program.
The cornerback who left UCLA joins former Oklahoma running back Keith Ford among high-profile transfers who can play in 2016 with two years of eligibility remaining. Former high-profile Oklahoma running back Brandon Williams also is on the team and practicing at cornerback.
Both Willis Jr. and Williams are members of the defensive backfield that new coordinator John Chavis is trying to whip into shape. The biggest impact, though, could come from Justin Evans, a 6-foot, 185-pound safety from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
That’s just a start, though:
- WR Josh Reynolds, a transfer from Tyler (Texas) Junior College, caught 13 touchdown passes in 2014, second in the SEC to Alabama WR Amari Cooper.
- Avery Gennesy enters preseason practice as the favorite to start at left tackle after transferring from East Mississippi Community College and sitting out last season.
- Jermaine Eluemunor and Jeremiah Stuckey, both junior-college transfers, are competing to start at left guard.
- Starting RB Tra Carson (Oregon) and LB A.J. Hilliard (TCU) represent two other high-profile transfers.
- Texas A&M’s roster features 12 transfers.
247Sports rated Willis, the cornerback, as the No. 39 overall prospect in the country in 2013, the same year he was selected as an Under Armour All-American. Willis played in every game and made 22 tackles for the Bruins as a sophomore in 2014.
Ford, who announced his decision to transfer to Texas A&M in May, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, but his exit from Oklahoma included controversy.
He was suspended from the Sooners following spring drills for academic issues and violation of team rules. Upon declaring his intent to transfer, Ford hinted he didn’t think the Oklahoma staff had treated him fairly.
Ford rushed for 392 yards and scored six touchdowns in 2014 and follows another former OU back, Williams, to College Station.
“[Brandon] told me that it was very laid back up there and he said if you do what you need to do that everything will be fine,” Ford told CBSSports.com.
“He said that A&M allows you to create your own path and your own destiny. He said everyone really cares about your school work and getting your degree. It was nice to hear about how much they put back into academics because that wasn’t something I experienced at OU.”
The addition of Willis also continues another A&M trend, giving the Aggies the top recruit out of Arizona from the past three classes. Willis joins quarterback Kyle Allen and wide receiver Christian Kirk from the state.
While Willis and Ford will sit out 2015, other transfers are ready to make an impact for the Aggies this year.
Williams and Oregon transfer Tra Carson are among those who will compete for playing time at running back. Carson sits atop the depth chart after finishing second on the team in rushing last year with 521 yards on 124 carries.
On defense, TCU transfer AJ Hilliard will look for more playing time as a junior after going down with an injury early last season. As a freshman for the Horned Frogs in 2012, he played in 11 games, but recorded just one tackle. Hilliard is currently third on the A&M depth chart at multiple linebacker spots.
In addition to Division I transfers, the Aggies feature several former junior college players on the roster, including quarterback Jake Hubanak, who is competing for the No. 2 job behind Allen.
Shane Mettlen is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Texas A&M, Missouri and Alabama.
