NFL free agency has been very nice to Aggies so far. Some guys didn't even get there, agreeing to massive deals beforehand.

Mike Evans is staying with the Bucs after getting a two-year, $52 million deal. Justin Madubuike topped that and then some, getting $53 million AT SIGNING as part of a four-year, $98 million deal with the Ravens.

Offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, who quietly had a great season with the Raiders, signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Giants.

Trayveon Williams re-signed with the Bengals, where he could see an expanded role this year.

Tyrel Dodson is still on the market, but after a strong 2023, he should cash in too.

If you're in A&M's front office, you're definitely making sure that these updated contracts keep getting tallied and blasted out on social media.

Devon Achane has established himself as a superstar in Miami, but there are two other Aggie running backs in the NFL who are going to have to share reps this year -- again.

With the trade of Joe Mixon to the Texans, I thought Trayveon Williams might get a shot at first team reps with the Bengals. Nope; they signed Zack Moss from the Colts and he'll probably get the first team reps (even though he doesn't set my world on fire).

The Chargers lost Austin Eckler to Washington shortly after free agency started, which sounded like a good thing for Isaiah Spiller. But L.A. went out and signed Gus Edwards from the Ravens. So, like Williams, Spiller will have to wait to get some reps when Edwards is out of the game.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban testified before Congress today that he retired, at least in part, due to the emergence of NIL. He said Miss Terry complained that the players were only interested in money now.

Saban is, without question, the greatest coach in college football history. But he also has a nasty habit of whining when he doesn't get his way.

After Johnny Manziel smoked Alabama and Ole Miss started giving the Tide fits, he said the hurry up/no huddle offense needed to be banned. He whined that it was only a matter of time until someone died.

Then he hired Mike Locksley and Lane Kiffin and adopted it. Still waiting on those deaths.

Then he complained about the transfer portal. And now it's NIL.

His points may be valid, and he may have just gotten tired of the mercenary nature of college football. Ok, I'm lying about the last part. Alabama used and abused the transfer portal as well as anyone, and you know the Tide has had no problem paying players (allegedly).

Saban hates things that take him out of his comfort zone -- even if he's fantastic at adapting -- and loathes anything that might erode Alabama's competitive advantage. The portal and NIL had the potential to do that. So he now views them as mortal dangers.

I'm sure that Saban thought he was doing something good for all of college football by testifying today. And maybe he was. But he probably didn't consider the fact that he might have looked just a liiiiiiiiitle bit hypocritical in doing so.

Texas backup quarterback (emphasis on backup) Arch Manning has decided that he's not going to do what 99% of other college football players are doing and has opted out of appearing in NCAA College Football '25. He says he's interested in playing football on the field, not on a screen.

Yay, yay.

Guess what, Arch? Nobody is making you play the game. You could have taken the $600, the copy of the game and let a bunch of kids play it with you in it. No harm done.

Arch says he doesn't want distractions. He made it a distraction. Frankly, it looks like an effort by someone to keep attention on the best-known backup in the sport. Also, if he's trying to upset or rile up fans (for reasons I can't fathom) to rally to his side, there's one thing he should remember:

Quinn Ewers is the starting quarterback at Texas. And he's in the game.

As I write this, Jace LaViolette has homered twice tonight, bringing his season total to 9. His homers traveled 470 and 422 feet.

Freshman third baseman Gavin Grahovac hit his fourth homer of the season, and it traveled a mere 463 feet.

Those two players have hit a combined 1,355 feet worth of homers. They hit at the top of the order. And they'll both be back in 2025.

The Aggies already have one of their top linebacker prospects, Kelvion Riggins, on their commit list. But the state's best linebacker, Riley Pettijohn of McKinney, is still out there. For a while, it looked like the Aggies were in second for Pettijohn behind Texas, but Rivals' Marshall Levinson reported today that the vibe now is that Mike Elko and company have caught and passed Texas for the lead.

If the Aggies land both Riggins and Pettijohn, that would be a tremendous win for Elko and his staff. Getting two of the best linebackers in the state is good anytime, but to do it on their first time out would be tremendous.

There's no guarantee Wade Taylor will come back, though he should. A strong senior season would help his draft prospects immeasurably. So let's say Taylor returns. This could be how the Aggies line up next year:

C: Henry Coleman

PF: Solomon Washington

SF: Jace Carter

SG: Obaseki

PG: Taylor

And then Andersson Garcia comes off the bench. You've also got Bryce Lindsey, who the staff remains high on, to back up Taylor at the point.

A&M needs to get bigger and could use some more shooting, but that's a starting 5 you can build around.

Penn guard Clark Slajchert has entered the transfer portal. Slajchert averaged 18.0 points and 2.9 assists last season and is an undersized 2-guard at 6-foot-1.

He also shoots 42.2% from 3.

Yes, the Aggies have been in contact.

A&M's bullpen has been lit up in each of the past two games. They came back and won against Rhode Island and are still ahead at this point against Sam Houston, but when your last two pitchers have ERAs of 20.25 and 9.00....yuck.

Andersson Garcia kinda got screwed in not being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.