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Texas A&M football recruiting: 5 takeaways after Day 1 of the Early Signing Period
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Texas A&M’s recruiting class got a whole lot better thanks to a pair of late additions to open the Early Signing Period.
Shemar Turner, a defensive end from DeSoto, Texas, announced his commitment to the Aggies over the weekend. On Wednesday, they added 4-star defensive end Tunmise Adeleye. That moved them to the No. 11 class in the country and No. 5 in the SEC, according to 247Sports.
The 2 are currently A&M’s highest-ranked commits.
Turner is the lone 5-star in the 2021 class, but the Aggies gained plenty of talent below him.
They signed 17 players in all on Wednesday, including 12 4-stars. They inked the top-ranked prospect in both Oklahoma and Arkansas and at least 1 top-5 prospect in 5 different states. Once again, it was a victory for Jimbo Fisher, who continues to direct talent to College Station.
The Aggies are again close to the top 10, which should spell success for them on the field over the next few years.
Here are 5 takeaways from the Early Signing Period:
1. Staying close to home
The Aggies didn’t have to look far outside of Texas for prospects this year.
Of their 19 commits so far, 12 have come from the Lone Star State. The 2nd-most are from Florida, with a mere 2 players. That is on par with how Fisher has recruited the past 3 seasons, and the ratio is actually a little behind the final numbers of those classes.
It has been a recipe for success, and this year features several pieces with potential to make a large impact.
2. Defense wins championships
The Aggies have a lot to replace defensively this offseason, as 5 of their starters are seniors.
Thankfully, they added a lot of talent on that side of the ball.
There is, of course, Turner, who could step in to fill 1 of 2 vacated spots on the defensive line. He is joined by fellow defensive linemen Adeleye, Marcus Burris and Jahzion Harris.
Burris is a local product from Texarkana, Texas, who won state championships in his freshman and junior seasons with Pleasant Grove. Adeleye (Katy, Texas) was another late addition, committing on Wednesday. He is both the No. 6 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 6 player in Texas. Harris is the No. 2 overall prospect in New York.
Burris is the largest of the 3, at 280 pounds compared to 245 for Adeleye and 215 for Harris.
The Aggies also made several key additions in the secondary.
Kendal Daniels is a safety from Beggs, Okla., and the No. 1 player in the Sooner state. A&M also added 4-star cornerback Dreyden Norwood, the top player in Arkansas. He isn’t even their highest-rated corner, however. Deuce Harmon out of Denton, Texas, could be a candidate for playing time with Myles Jones graduating.
The Aggies are coming off their best defensive season since joining the SEC. Expectations should remain high with this crop of players.
3. Protection section
Before the late additions of Turner and Adeleye, Reuben Fatheree was the highest-ranked prospect in A&M’s class.
The offensive tackle from Richmond, Texas, comes in as the No. 87 player in the country. He chose A&M over offers from big-time programs such as Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State, and he projects as a potential NFL player when all is said and done.
He is joined by Trey Zuhn, the No. 2 overall player in Colorado. The Aggies lose 4 starters on the offensive line this offseason, so Zuhn and Fatheree could make their impact known early.
Matthew Wykoff and Remington Strickland, both 3-stars, round out the offensive line prospects.
4. Miami teammates
The Aggies gained pledges from a pair of high school teammates out of Miami.
Amari Daniels and Yulkeith Brown, both 4-stars, played together at powerhouse Miami Central in Florida. Both are listed as athletes, but Daniels is expected to play at running back. Brown played receiver and cornerback in high school, so the Aggies have options as to where to implement both.
Miami Central has produced NFL players such as Dalvin Cook and Devonta Freeman. Could either Daniels or Brown be next?
5. Shadrach attack
Shadrach Banks is A&M’s highest-ranked skill player in this class.
The receiver from Houston joins Demond Demas, who was a redshirt freshman this past season, as another talented receiver of the future. Banks is a big-bodied pass catcher at 6 feet, 210 pounds who earns his yards after catch with his physicality. He won back-to-back state championships as a sophomore and junior.
The Aggies also signed 4-star quarterback Eli Stowers in this class. Could the Stowers-to-Banks connection be one fans become accustomed to over the years?
Chandler Vessels covers the SEC West for Saturday Down South. Previously, he worked for the East Texas Sports Network in Tyler, Texas, covering high school football and recruiting. You can follow him on Twitter @ChandlerVessels.
