Aggies grab commit #2 for Monday
Another commitment and analysis story is brought to you by Branch & Dhillion, P.C.!
Texas A&M entered Monday in dire need of a quarterback and some linebackers. They largely accomplished that mission in the span of 21 minutes.
A matter of moments after 4-star QB Marcel Reed announced his commitment to the Aggies, Temple LB Taurean York followed suit. York is the 15th member of the 2023 recruiting class and the third linebacker.
York, a longtime Baylor commit, backed off his pledge to the Bears last week and seemed like he was destined to head to Duke to play for former A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko. But the Aggies quickly jumped into the fray and convinced York to visit this past weekend. That was enough to convince him to join the Aggies' 2023 signing class, which he did at precisely 7:21 p.m. central time Monday night.
York was the District 12-6A MVP three times during his high school career and finished his senior season with a flourish: 120 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 3 touchdowns.
He joins an A&M linebacker corps in the midst of a revamp and could see the field quickly. He joins fellow commits Daymion Sanford and Rylan Kennedy in the Aggie recruiting class, with Edgerrin Cooper and Martrell Harris waiting on campus.
York is the 15th member of A&M's 2023 recruiting class and the 12th from Texas.
Analysis of A&M's newest commit
When I look at York, I get flashbacks to Tyrel Dodson. And, like Dodson, I think York is extremely underrated.
First, you can't argue with production. 120 tackles is a whole bleeping lot. He's been his district's MVP three times in a row. That tells you he gets things done. His film backs that up.
Like Dodson, York has a nose for the football. He has excellent anticipation and gets after the ball quickly. He does an outstanding job of navigating through masses of humanity to get to the ballcarrier, then he puts him down.
I love his footwork. York can take long strides, but reverts to quick, choppy steps when he's 1-on-1 with a ballcarrier. That allows him to change direction more quickly and stay in front of his target.
Even though he has the ability to go for the knockout hit, he's more interested in getting his opponent on the ground. He's fundamentally sound and tackles well.
One advantage he may have over Dodson is his pure speed. York can cover a lot of ground in a hurry -- and, shock of shocks, he runs track. His acceleration is excellent and when he gets you lined up...well, sorry.
This young man is a player. He has produced at every level and, even if he's a little short, is already at around 220 pounds. Add about 5 pounds and, with his instincts, he could be on the field fast.