As we enter the dog days of summer, AY takes a look at each position group and asks five important questions. We continue the series with the safeties.
1. Are these guys going to be any better than last year?
They'd better be. Safety play was one of the biggest disappointments of last season, as they struggled in coverage and most of them didn't tackle well. But the addition of Lyle Hemphill from James Madison was made, at least in part, for his ability to work with safeties. And they were definitely put through the wringer in the spring.
2. Who are the starters?
There's a very high probability that it's Bryce Anderson and Dalton Brooks, with Marcus Ratcliffe being the primary backup for both of them. That gives the Aggies a lot of experience at the position.
3. Who will replace Trey Jones as the "big" safety?
That job will fall to sophomore Myles Davis, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. Davis got a little playing time last year, but the coaching staff expects a lot more from him this year. He certainly looks the part of a safety who can be a factor against the run.
4. Will we see much of Tom Tom Johnson this year?
"Tom Tom" is the nickname of Rashad, and the answer is only if he forces his way onto the field or there are a lot of injuries. The Aggies focused on him early on and wanted him as their only safety in the 2025 class, and they were able to get him to flip from Georgia pretty late in the process. They like him a lot, but want to have him ready to take a big role in 2026 when Anderson and Jarred Kerr are gone.
5. Could anyone from this group be a star?
It's purely an opinion at this point, but if anyone has the inside track to stardom, it's Dalton Brooks. The junior racked up 59 tackles (second on the team) and 5.5 tackles for loss last year, and he was still getting used to the position for about the first half of last year. He broke out after that, with 7 tackles against Arkansas, 9 at Mississippi State, 10 against Texas and an interception in the Las Vegas Bowl. He has good speed for a safety and near linebacker size, so he could be a big weapon in the secondary.
