AggieYell.com's series on the position groups of the 2022 Texas A&M football team continues with the wide receivers.
Returning players (all stats from 2021)
Senior Ainias Smith: 47 catches ,509 yards (10.8 YPC), 6 TD
Redshirt senior Jalen Preston: 17 catches, 255 yards (15 YPC), 2 TD
Redshirt junior Chase Lane: 12 catches, 132 yards (11 YPC)
Junior Devin Price: 1 catch, 7 yards
Redshirt junior Kenyon Jackson: No catches
Redshirt sophomore Moose Muhammad: 10 catches, 153 yards (15.3 YPC), 4 TD
Sophomore Yulkeith Brown: 2 carries, 52 yards
Newcomers
Freshman Evan Stewart: 22 catches, 487 yards (22.1 YPC), 3 TD in 3 games at Frisco Liberty High School; 5-star recruit according to Rivals.com; Under Armour All-American
Freshman Chris Marshall: 15catches, 466 yards (31.1 YPC), 11 TD in 7 games at Fort Bend Marshall High School; 4-star recruit according to Rivals.com; Under Armour All-American
Freshman Noah Thomas: 63 catches, 935 yards (14.8 YPC), 21 TDs in 11 games at Clear Springs High School; 4-star recruit according to Rivals.com
Setting the scene
The Aggies went from having a fairly experienced but under-performing receiver group to a very different-looking bunch in the offseason. Talented but frequently injured Caleb Chapman decided to play his final season at Oregon, and former 5-star Demond Demas has also left (though not of his choosing). Hezekiah Jones, who has dealt with repeated serious injuries, finally retired.
And, just like that, the Aggies were down two of their three presumptive starters and a key reserve for 2022. And the revamp was on.
Smith is the only certainty to start, but Lane and Stewart have consistently been with the first team. Thomas, Marshall and Price have all worked with the second team, and Muhammad seems certain to play a lot in some capacity. In Smith's absence this summer with minor injuries, Brown has taken a lot of first team snaps.
Battles to watch
Lane has impressed the coaching staff this offseason and Stewart has been a star from the moment he got on campus, so the battles may be for the backup jobs. Moose Muhammad will almost certainly win one of them, leaving the rest of the receivers fighting for two spots. That should make competition over the next couple of weeks pretty intense.
Pressure's on
Preston. The longest-tenured receiver of the group is in jeopardy of seeing his playing time seriously diminished if he can't work his way through the mix of younger players who seem to be, at best, even with him. After being a big part of the offense by the end of 2021, there's no guarantees of playing time this year.
Projected depth chart (starters in bold)
WR: Stewart, Thomas OR Marshall
SLOT: Smith, Brown
WR: Lane, Muhammad