Texas A&M’s depth in the secondary took a hit Wednesday with word that redshirt junior cornerback Moses Reynolds had entered the transfer portal.
Reynolds has played in three games in 2019, racking up one tackle in the process. He played in the second half against Lamar and Texas State and saw a handful of snaps against Auburn. He was one of the stars of the 2019 spring game, intercepting a pair of passes.
What changes now?
Not much. Reynolds had been somewhere between the second and third team and was a solid tackler, but had struggled in pass coverage. With Myles Jones, Elijah Blades and Debione Renfro set as the top three corners, Charles Oliver has moved into the slot as a nickel. The Aggies could also have two players return to action Oct. 12 against Alabama: Roney Elam, who has missed the past two games for undisclosed reasons, and freshman Erick Young, who has been recovering from a broken arm. The limited playing time Reynolds had seen was likely to dry up as other players returned to action.
Who benefits?
Young would likely have moved into the rotation anyway, but two other players may now find limited opportunities. Redshirt sophomore Devin Morris, who has also played in three games, will likely assume Reynolds’ spot on the pecking order. Travon Fuller, who has been a quality player on special teams but has been overtaken by several players at corner, may also get another chance.
Does this affect recruiting?
No. The Aggies intended to take a couple of corners, at the least, regardless of who transfers. They have one of the nation’s best in Jaylon Jones, another 4-star in Josh Moten and are aggressively pursuing a third in Dontae Manning. The coaching staff is very serious about improving its talent pool at corner.
Where does A&M stand with its scholarship crunch?
With Reynolds and running back Deneric Prince in the portal and wideout Roshauud Paul expected to transfer after deciding to take a redshirt season this year, the Aggies are down to 81 scholarship players. If RB Vernon Jackson’s career is over as anticiapted, the Aggies are down to 80. They have six scholarship seniors, lowering the total to 74. A full class of 25 would mean the Aggies would have to shed another 14 scholarship players to get to the 85 scholarship limit before the start of the 2020 season.
