Recruiting Country: The latest recruiting news surrounding the Maroon & White

Key notes from Recruiting Country

Billy:
What is so significant about Chris Morris‍ is how large and how nasty and how athletic a player he is. Combine those, and you see why so many people wanted him. You had Oklahoma, Alabama, and Tennessee all in the running. It’s a big get.  Right now, A&M is playing catch up in the rankings, and with how they’re playing on the field, you’re really getting it in the trenches against teams like OU and Bama. The Aggies are trying to play catchup. Chris Morris has that kind of talent. You are getting several offensive linemen in the class that are ready to play and start early in their careers. Chris Morris is going to be a guy that’s ready to play soon. He’s precisely the kind of guy you have to have upfront to win in the SEC trenches.

Brauny:
Chris Morris is the addition of athleticism and size that you have to have. The push to signing day is almost as important as what happens on the field. So this was a massive get for the class and gets the ball rolling for now until the first national signing day.

Billy:
Brauny and I were at camp the summer before, and there were guys from Memphis that walked in the building.  We were scrambling to figure out who that guy was. This was before his junior year of high school, so he’d just finished his sophomore season.  I mean, that should give you an indication of just how impressive he is physically and how long he’s been a target. He’s one of their longest-standing targets. You notice that Jimbo doesn’t rush to get commitments. It’s essential to let these guys decide on their timeline. Some schools, they push and almost put those guys on a deadline of sorts. Some kids fall for it, and some don’t). Texas A&M does an excellent job of letting them decide- don’t second guess, don’t’ look back. They played the long game, and it’s paid off upfront.

Brauny:
Chris Morris is a prospect at tackle even though he’s listed as a guard. You have to have tackles. You have to go get them.  That’s why you have to go get people like Ty'Kieast Crawford‍. You have to go tackle body type heavy in 2021 because you have to add to it to the roster.

Billy:
Guys in the 2020 class project more as guards.  I think Morris can absolutely end up as a tackle. The height and frame are great, but the length and athleticism are what you really need to succeed at that position, and Chris has plenty of both. I could absolutely see him doing that.

Crawford could maybe do the same if they make the hard push for him. He’s nasty on tape. This is what we’re lacking right now is that guy that puts someone in the ground and is that big pass blocker. Josh Bankhead is another one. They want to push you down. Chris is one of those guys, and Crawford is one of those guys.

These guys in the 2020 class are going to get the first crack at it, and A&M doesn’t have time to sit there and say 2021 is going to be excellent. But 2020 is where A&M absolutely has to clean up on the offensive line, and the last two additions have taken them a long way. They’re No. 7 in the national rankings with those last few commits. It’s not going to be a top 3 class this year. But they’ve got a great chance of finishing in the top 10 and maybe around number 6 or 7. That’s without Zach Evans, who they have a legit shot at. Even without him, they finish number 6-9, which, in a year where you’re losing some games on the field, and you’re playing that brutal schedule, is huge.  If a No. 6-8 finish is what happens on your down year than that’s when you feel good about where you’re going under Jimbo. That range is right where you need to be. Number 3 and Number 8 class in back to back years means you’re closing the gap.

Brauny:
Jason Howell gets a huge shout out for setting up the most on-brand commitment video ever. He’s got the dog and chasing decoys and ducks. It was a well-done video. Shout out to Texas Filmworks for building that relationship with that crew out of Memphis.

Ask Brauny
 

How do current recruits stack up on talent and potential to those currently on the roster?

Look at the offer list- one of the significant criticisms of the current group on campus was their offer list. Look at Chris Morris’ offer list or Akinola Ogunbiyi‍ and or Smart Chibuzo‍’s offer list. Josh Bankhead‍ has like 30 offers he didn’t report. Once he committed, he didn’t talk to anybody.  Josh plays so angrily. He takes pride in putting people on the ground. Josh Bankhead is one of the best kids I’ve ever interviewed, but when he puts the helmet on, he’s a different dude

Where are the Ags trending on the recruiting trail?

What do you do at running back? EJ Smith‍ was on an official visit. Devon Achane‍ was at LSU this weekend, but he also talked to Coach Dickey this weekend. Zach Evans‍’ recruitment- he didn’t go anywhere- but I heard that he was super close to being Georgia, and now it’s back to being everywhere. His recruitment is really like a pendulum swinging, so A&M needs to stay in the fight and keep communicating and really stay with it until signing day and commitment day. 

Who got it done?

Josh Bankhead had somewhere north of 17 knockdowns against  Oak Ridge, which is insane, but it has to be Devin Price‍ , who played in a top ten matchup for A&M Consolidated. It was their second top 10 win of the year. Devin went completely crazy, going six catches for 142 yards with two touchdowns.

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