30 Players in 30 Days: #3 — Tyrel Dodson

Position: Linebacker
Classification: Junior
Hometown: Franklin, TN
Listed Height: 6-2
Listed Weight: 242

Notes from Olin's thoughts on Dodson

• Sam Houston, Davy Crockett and Tyrel Dodson: Tennesseans who came to Texas to provide some defense. I am a big fan of Tyrel’s just like everyone else is. He is a great guy and a heck of a football player. He can be the guy to meet a back in the hole, and he is really good in pass defense. He had three interceptions a season ago and dang near had four if he had picked that one off against UCLA that would have won the game.

• I think he is as responsible as any one player for the optimism that people have about A&M’s defense. The linebacker play has gotten so much better with Dodson playing next to Alaka, and I know that Tyrel is going to play at a very high level.

• He’s always a productive player and has good instincts. That is something that A&M hasn’t had the last few years; they’ve usually had good athletes playing linebacker but not always the guys with those instincts. I don’t know where he is better. He played well inside last year and had a heck of a year! But I think he’s going to be good wherever you put him.

• He’s similar to Christian Kirk in that he provides everything you want at his position. He’s tough, he’s fast, and he’s smart. He will play tough against the run and is good in pass coverage too. Plus, when it’s all over, you don’t worry about him off the field. He’s just a good guy. He’s a leader on top of all that. Like I said, I don’t know what you look for in a linebacker that he doesn’t provide. He’s been so productive in his first year as a starter. The next step is become a dominant player, and we will see if he takes that step.

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Follow the entire 30 Players in 30 Days series here.