AggieYell.com begins its countdown to the season with a look at the 30 players most important to the Texas A&M's 2017 success. The list begins with #30, wideout Aaron Hansford.
Class: Redshirt freshman (injured vs. Auburn, missed the rest of the 2016 season)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
2016 stats: Saw limited action in two games; no receptions
Why he's on the list: The Aggies landed Hansford late in the 2016 recruiting cycle due, in part, to their willingness to let him play offense instead of linebacker. A&M thought they'd have time to develop him, but he still worked his way onto the field early last year. It was anticipated that he'd back up Kirk Merritt in the slot, but with Merritt's dismissal, he becomes a much bigger piece to the puzzle.
With his size, Hansford can either be a possession receiver in the slot or an H-Back, playing either at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield. He's not as big as projected starting tight end Calvin Kline (6-foot-5, 245 pounds), but still pretty tough to handle. He did a solid job in the spring and could become an important target over the middle with his size.
AY projection: Hansford will likely split time with Kline and the rest of the tight end rotation, but he'll be the guy A&M looks to first when they go to a four-receiver set. He's a possession receiver in an offense that will likely be looking to get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly with high-percentage throws, which should work in his favor.
