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Since arriving in College Station in 2012, Kevin Sumlin’s Texas A&M teams have been known for their offense. In his first couple of seasons, any list of the Aggies’ top players would have with names such as Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, Jake Matthews and Luke Joeckel.
And while 2015 might not be the year of a full-fledged return to the Wrecking Crew defensive identity, the Aggies have some true standouts returning on that side of the ball.
The balance on offense and defense is just one reason for optimism at Texas A&M. There’s also a youth movement going on, as several of the top players on this year’s team are underclassmen. Sophomores, and perhaps even some freshmen, are going to be prominent members of the 2015 Aggies.
There’s NFL talent on the Texas A&M roster, even if it might take some time to develop against a tough SEC schedule.
SDS ranked the Aggies’ 10 best players:
10. De’Vante Harris, CB
Easily one of the most experienced players on the Texas A&M defense, Harris has earned significant playing time since he was a freshman in 2012. Last year he recorded 53 tackles in 10 games and also showed he’s a solid cover corner with five passes defended and an interception. He won’t be the first name people think of when considering the Aggies defense, but he’s an especially important piece.
9. Daeshon Hall, DE
With 29 tackles in each of the last two seasons, the Texas A&M staff would probably like to see more consistency out of the junior, but Hall also has penchant for making big plays. As a freshman he had an interception and return for 54 yards against Mississippi State and he recorded 4.5 sacks as a sophomore. He should be one part of a potent pass rush for the Aggies in 2015.
8. Christian Kirk, WR
Just a freshman, Kirk hasn’t had much opportunity to prove himself, but early indications from spring and summer practices suggest he’s going to be a standout. Texas A&M fields an excellent wide receiver crew, though nobody broke out in ’14 on the level of former wideout Mike Evans. There’s reason to believe Kirk might eventually get there.
7. Alonzo Williams, DT
As strong as A&M’s defense is on the outside, it’s the big senior Williams who anchors it in the middle. At 6-foot-4 and nearly 300 pounds, Williams gets great push off the snap and often finds his way into the backfield. He finished with 57 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2014 and will be a huge factor for one of the SEC’s best defensive lines in 2015.
6. Mike Matthews, C
The son of NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, Mike has come into his own at A&M despite battling injuries that caused him to miss three games last year. He’s been on pre-season All-SEC teams each of the last two years and is on the Rimington Trophy watch list. If he stays healthy there’s a good chance he makes the post-season all-conference lists this time around.
5. Speedy Noil, WR
The sophomore lived up to his name in 2014, making plays as both a wideout and a kick returner. With a full year to work with quarterback Kyle Allen, Noil has an excellent opportunity to improve on his 46 catches for 583 yards and five touchdowns.
4. Armani Watts, S
Coming off a strong freshman season that included 59 tackles and a team-high three interceptions, Watts leads a defensive backfield that should only benefit from the Aggies strength on the defensive line. His emergence allowed him to start seven games last year; this season he’ll be on the first offense from the get-go, ready to put up even bigger numbers.
3. Josh Reynolds, WR
After recording 52 catches for 842 yards, Reynolds was voted team MVP on offense and named second-team All-SEC. After transferring from Tyler Junior College, he made 13 touchdown receptions, the most ever for a first-year Texas A&M player. With the Aggies quarterback situation likely solidified coming into the season, there’s an opportunity for Allen to have a huge year.
2. Kyle Allen, QB
Allen played in nine games as a freshman, eventually taking over as a starter and completing 61.5 percent of his passes. With a full year of work under his belt and the confidence that comes with it, this could be a year of significant improvement for the sophomore quarterback, who had a 139.5 passer rating last year. The more he played last year, the better he got, earning National Offensive Player of the Week after the Auburn win and Liberty Bowl MVP honors.
1. Myle Garrett, DE
Garrett was a sack machine as a freshman, earning second-team All-SEC honors and consensus freshman All-America. The Aggies’ defensive MVP, his 11.5 sacks represent an SEC freshman record. Now a fixture on preseason award lists and All-American teams, Garrett faces extremely high expectations coming into his sophomore season. But his talent justifies all the hype.
Shane Mettlen is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Texas A&M, Missouri and Alabama.
