Week One's Overnight Sensation: Shemar Turner, Defensive Lineman

Each Monday during the 2021 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance and earned the distinction of being the week’s ‘Overnight Sensation.’ 

Five-star recruit. Five-star debut.

Desoto's Shemar Turner donned the Maroon & White for the first time on Saturday night, and the true freshman did not disappoint. Standing a ridiculous 6-4 and 285 pounds (on paper), Turner registered four tackles and tallied 1.5 sacks as the Aggies dominated Kent State, 41-10.

With Texas A&M leading 7-0 in the first quarter, Kent State drove deep into Aggie territory. On third-and-6 from the A&M 8-yard line, Turner introduced himself to a Red, White & Blue-clad Kyle Field crowd. The big fish got to quarterback Dustin Crum, dropping him for a loss of five, a swing of four points on the play.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Turner showed out in his first-ever game in Maroon and White as the Aggies defeated Kent State. 

After a quiet second stanza, Turner combined with DeMarvin Leal late in the third to stop running back Bryan Bradford short of the line to gain and forcing the Golden Flashes to go three-and-out.

With the Aggies leading comfortably late, Turner saw plenty of action in the fourth and final period, recording two more tackles on the night.

Perhaps his biggest play of the night came with Kent State knocking on the doorstep with 3:58 left in the game. On third-and-goal from the 1-yard line, backup quarterback Collin Schlee dropped back, but Turner and Jardin Gilbert wrestled him down in the backfield for a loss of seven. Andrew Glass subsequently missed the 25-yard field goal attempt.

After one game, Turner leads the Aggies in sacks. And that's on a line with a future first-round draft choice.

On a night in which the Texas A&M defense admittedly didn't have the performance they were hoping for, Turner was undoubtedly a bright spot. Likely a second-teamer when linemen Micheal Clemons and McKinnley Jackson return from their respective suspensions, Turner has already made quite the case for an increase in playing time.

Only time will tell, but Aggie fans might have gotten their first look at the next great one in a long line of A&M standouts from Desoto.

Turner's stats vs. Kent State:

Tackles: 4
Solo tackles: 1
Sacks: 1.5
Tackles for loss: 1.5