10 Things for Tuesday
Now that the offseason is here, people are looking for things to get excited about. Well, how about 10 players who could excite fans in 2023?
1. WR Noah Thomas: He caught 5 passes all year. Two went for touchdowns. He's big at 6-foot-5 and all A&M's receivers should be looking for more passes under Bobby Petrino. If Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad are getting the attention of opponents, he could burn them.
2. DL DJ Hicks: I put DL because he might end up at defensive tackle due to his size. But when a guy is in the running for the top spot in the entire nation, you know he's good. Even if he ends up second, that's where Myles Garrett and Walter Nolen ended up. Anyone want to gripe if he's as good as they were as a freshman?
3. LB Martrell Harris: Harris started playing later in the year and, even though he only had 7 tackles, picked up 2 sacks -- tied for third-most on the team. The Aggies need another fast linebacker, and Harris should get more playing time next season.
4. CB Tony Grimes: The UNC transfer broke up 7 passes last year, which would have only trailed Tyreek Chappell by 1 for the A&M team lead. Grimes has wanted to play more man defense, believing he's better suited for it. If he's right, he and Chappell could be quite a duo at corner.
5. DT McKinnley Jackson: Jackson totaled 37 tackles last season, which is solid for a defensive tackle. But he did it in eight games, which is ridiculous. With sophomore Walter Nolen next to him, Jackson could put be a real problem for opponents next year.
6. WR Micah Tease: A&M fans have been looking for a burner who could take the top off a defense. Tease could be that guy. He burned defenses last season to the tune of 29.7 yards per catch and could be a deep threat right off the bat.
7. OL Kam Dewberry: It's no certainty Dewberry will start, but he showed enough last year that he should get the shot. He's flat-out powerful and can handle the big interior linemen of the SEC. He'll be both stronger and more experienced next year, and that could mean trouble for opposing defenses.
8. TE Donovan Green: Sure, he caught 22 passes for 232 yards and a couple of touchdowns last year, but he has a real opportunity to break out in Bobby Petrino's offense. He'll be tough to figure out how to cover.
9. S Jardin Gilbert: People really overlook the junior-to-be, but he had 61 tackles and led the team in interceptions with 2. He's got really good speed for a safety and might have more opportunities for the big play if the Aggies get more pressure on the quarterback.
10. QB Conner Weigman: Totally cheating here, but 132 pass attempts without an interception is a great start. He's going to likely get a lot more open receivers in a new offense, and he's probably going to get to use his legs as well. And nothing's more exciting than a dual-threat quarterback, as A&M fans know better than anyone.