Tristan Leigh

With National Signing Day in the books, most of the 2020 Texas A&M class seems to be locked down. This means a lot of focus from the program and fans alike will turn to the upcoming class. We take a hard look at some 2021 top prospects and where they stand with the Aggies.

- While a lot of attention will be rightfully given to the in-state O-Line haul in 2021, I have been able to pick up a few notes on some out of state targets that A&M looks to be in good shape with early on. I'll start in the desert with Scottsdale (AZ) native Bram Walden. While the early favorite is Oregon, Jimbo Fisher and Josh Henson have been quietly forming a solid foundation with the 6-4, 285 pounder. It also helps that Walden plays a Saguaro HS - home of Aggie great Christian Kirk. I haven't yet heard of a definitive visit being set, but it absolutely wouldn't surprise me to see Walden make his way to campus at some point this spring. - Another highly touted big man that I think will find his way to College Station in the coming months is Fairfax (VA) OL Tristan Leigh. I don't know that any prospect on the east coast has seen their stock rise more since the end of the football season than Leigh. While it will be really tough to pry him away from somewhere like Clemson or even Alabama, I was told that Tristan and his family have a huge affinity for the state of Texas. Leigh's favorite team has always been the Dallas Cowboys, and I heard the family looks forward to getting to the Lone Star State any time they can for vacation or football. Leigh and Josh Henson have been talking more and more on the phone in recent weeks. - Don't be surprised to see Oklahoma State be a real player for North Shore OL Jaeden Roberts. If you'll remember, Roberts and his family moved to Houston from Kansas about a year ago, and one of his best friends from his time up there (Joe Michalski) looks like he may be able to grab a starting role next year from what I was told by a source familiar with the Okie St program. Roberts stays in pretty regular communication with A&M still though, and the Aggies will continue to recruit him as an interior OL prospect. - I spoke with Miami (FL) S Kamren Kinchens via text over the weekend. The Northwestern HS product told me he is in the process of scheduling a trip to Texas A&M. While he was unsure of the date and what type of visit it would be (official or unofficial), he was positive that he wanted to see what Aggieland had to offer. With the state of Texas being thin at safety in 2021 and A&M's growing presence in south Florida, Kinchens is a kid that could have some staying power on the Aggie radar this cycle. - I had a chance to catch up with 2022 DB offer Bobby Taylor who was one of the few rising juniors to be invited to last weekend's Super Bowl party. The Aggies offered Taylor back in October, and he's starting to grow rather familiar with the coaching staff and College Station, in general. Here's what he had to say about his latest visit..."I really enjoyed the defensive meetings with the coaching staff. That was my favorite part of the day, hands down. I love football. It's natural for me. So, when given the opportunity to down and talk about the game, it gives me chills. Talking with Coach Elko and Coach Rushing was fantastic. It doesn't get any better than those two guys.""I learned a lot about the Aggie Network...about the Fortune 500 companies that Aggies are involved in. Football won't last forever, and when it's over, you have to have something to fall back on. It's so easy to build those connections, too. It can be something as simple as taking a picture or shaking a hand to get the whole thing started.""The coaching staff at A&M is just full of real, genuine guys. They're grounded and keep it real. Of course, when you play football you want to win, and those guys can make that happen. They complimented me on my press and man coverage skills. I love playing man. It just doesn't get any better than that. Me and the coaching staff agreed though that I know to work on my weaknesses which is playing off man. So, this spring I plan on working hard and perfecting it."...pretty well-spoken 16 year old. - An interesting RB name to keep an eye on in 2021 is Darius Hale from Pearland. Darrell Dickey made a couple of stops through there in his voyages through south Houston since the end of the season, and Hale is a kid that has caught the eye of a lot of college coaches. While his offer list isn't super lengthy just yet (Baylor, Houston, Utah State), he's intriguing because of his advanced strength and projectability as a power back. At 5-10, 215 pounds, Hale's low center of gravity and lower body mass make him a handful for tacklers. He was also in College Station last weekend for the Junior Day event. "Coach Fisher and Coach Dickey said they liked what they saw on film. They told me they intend to continue to recruit and evaluate me heavily going forward. Coach Dickey is a great dude. We have an outstanding relationship," Hale told me following the visit. "I got to really see how important the running back is to their offense and how big of a role it plays into what they want to do."

Fairfax (VA) Robinson 2021 OL Tristan Leigh kicked off 2020 in a big way by dominating at the Underclassmen Combine. Since the performance, several college offers have arrived including one from Texas A&M. He discussed the Aggies, his relationship with the staff and his mentality on the field.