A few months ago, the University of Georgia took Texas A&M's highest-rated offensive line commit. On Sunday, the Aggies took him back.
In a stunning turn of events, Fort Bend Kempner OL Akinola Ogunbiyi spurned the Bulldogs and re-committed to the Aggies Sunday afternoon. The flip gives the Aggies four offensive line commits again, and 12 commits total for the class of 2020. Of that total, seven are rated as 4-star prospects or better by Rivals.com. Ogunbiyi is also ranked as the #16 player overall, and the top guard, in the state of Texas in the inaugural AggieYell 100 for 2020.
Ogunbiyi originally committed to A&M in June 2018, only to de-commit in early March after offensive line coach Jim Turner left the Aggies to take the same job with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. The Aggies brought in Josh Henson from Oklahoma State to take Turner's former job fairly quickly, but Ogunbiyi decided he would switch to UGA on April 20, three days after fellow Texan Jalen Kimber committed to the Bulldogs.
While the Aggies continued to check out other offensive line prospects, including Mississippi guard Xavier Hill (who committed to Alabama June 23), they continued to work on Ogunbiyi. Ogunbiyi eventually warmed to Henson and, with continued prodding from head coach Jimbo Fisher and other staff members, Ogunbiyi had decided his first instinct was the right one after all.
The Aggies now have their original four offensive line commits back in the fold, and all four project to be guards at the next level. The Aggies are still in the running for 4-star Sedrick Van Pran of New Orleans Warren Easton, but their primary focus now likely turns back to what it had been: on tackles.
Analysis of A&M's newest commit
Ogunbiyi is a mauler, and I mean that in the best sense of the term. He's big and powerful, and he knows it. He likes to get his hands on someone and just shove them to the ground.
But that's not all he does.
Ogunbiyi can move. You see several instances where he is the lead blocker on counter plays, where he comes across from right guard to essentially left tackle in front of the running back. He isn't slow in doing it, either; he's moving with impressive speed for someone nearly 330 pounds.
He's also got very good lateral movement. There are a number of plays where he slides either over to center or towards right tackle to pick up blockers, and his movements are smooth and quick. A lot of guys his size move in a choppy fashion, but he's very fluid.
For the most part, Ogunbiyi is already a fundamentally sound player. He still needs to develop a bit of a punch, because he's capable of just grabbing a player or pushing into him and moving him out of the way. I'd also like to see more of his pass blocking, but he's an imposing run blocker right now. There's no doubt about that. I'm impressed that he doesn't make the mistake that many high school linemen do and just stand up out of his stance; he keeps his knees bent and uses his lower body to propel himself into defenders.
I'm going to throw this out there: I believe that, of the four lineman A&M currently has committed, the Ogunbiyi could follow the Dan Moore course and end up as a tackle. He's got the size, he's got many of the fundamentals already down and has good quickness. I think that's something to consider as A&M continues to assemble its group of offensive linemen for the 2020 class.