Aggies add top-flight safety to DB mix
Texas A&M had Dalton Brooks at the top of their wish list at safety. He had A&M at the top of his list of schools. It didn't take long for both sides to make things work.
2022 stats: 210 carries, 2,519 yards, 36 touchdowns; 7 catches, 236 yards, 5 TD
Chose A&M over: Texas, Oregon, Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame and USC, among many others
An outstanding player on offense, Brooks' size and speed attracted the attention of scouts interested in what he could do on defense just as much as offense. That's primarily what caught A&M's attention, as they see him joining the safety group with Jardin Gilbert, Jacoby Mathews, Bryce Anderson and Jarred Kerr.
Projected 2023 role: Backup safety
Film study
Brooks could easily be a Power 5 running back, but it's pretty easy to see why the Aggies like him on the defensive side of the ball. With his size and speed, he can cover a lot of ground and make people pay for encroaching on his turf.
First, let's look at the obvious: Brooks is fast. He runs away from opponents on offense, runs them down on defense and ran an 11.49-second 100 meters last year. That makes him an asset wherever he plays.
But, in my opinion, he really shines on defense. His anticipation is excellent and he has the closing speed to wherever he needs to be. And he doesn't mind putting his shoulder into an opponent to put them down and make them stay down.
Brooks has extremely good anticipation and has the natural ability to avoid blockers and get to the running back when he's at safety. He seems extremely comfortable coming downhill, but also has the ability to cover deep. I think that his time playing wide receiver will also help him, because he knows how to find the football, how get to the ball before a wideout and make a play on it.
Brooks has an extremely high ceiling and it's easy to see why the Aggies wanted him as badly as they did. If he is able to keep his speed while playing at between 200 and 205 pounds, he could be an NFL prospect.