30 players, 30 days: O'Neal gets his shot
AggieYell.com's series on the 30 players most important to Texas A&M football's success in 2019 continues with number 10, safety Leon O'Neal.
Class: Sophomore
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
2018 stats: 14 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT
What the Aggies are hoping for from him in 2019: To do what he did in the Gator Bowl for an entire season. Thrust into the starting lineup after an injury to Donovan Wilson, O’Neal had 4.5 tackles, 1 TFL and an intereption. It was an impressive performance, gave a hint of what the former 4-star recruit can do.
Why he’s number 10 on the list: The Aggies struggled mightily in the secondary in 2019, and they need to step up their collective performance to give A&M a chance against the likes of Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence. A safety with big play capability would certainly help, and O’Neal needs to be that guy.