Week 5's Overnight Sensation: Nic Scourton, Defensive End
Each Monday during the 2024 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance over the weekend and earned the distinction of being the week’s “Overnight Sensation.”
979’s finest.
When entering the transfer portal after two years at Purdue this offseason, Nic Scourton could have landed anywhere in the country.
As 2023’s Big Ten sack leader, the options were aplenty. Yet, Scourton chose to return home.
The Bryan native committed to Mike Elko and his staff in January, just eight days after entering the portal.
Eight months later, Scourton’s ability to wreak havoc was on full display as No. 24 Texas A&M took care of Arkansas, 21-17.
On Saturday, the transfer posted eye-popping numbers, tallying a pair of sacks for 11 yards in losses, four tackles for loss to push the Hogs back 16 yards, as well as a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Nightmare fuel.
Arkansas signal-caller Taylen Green, notorious for slipping out of the pocket and gaining yards with his feet, was held to just 12 yards on the ground as Scourton was the most lethal piece of A&M's pass rush.
Scourton was suffocating from the start. On the first play of the game, the junior slipped into the backfield, taking down Green for a loss of two. Later in the opening frame, Scourton was left completely unattended, coming off the left side to light up Green and force an incompletion.
His second sack of the day came on third down as the pocket collapsed around Green, and Scourton was able to grab his ankle to bring him down.
On the 56 snaps where Scourton came off the edge, the Razorbacks' front wilted. Arkansas right tackle Keyshawn Blackstock heavily struggled to contain Scourton & Co., recording an incredibly low pass-blocking grade of 36.9, according to PFF.
The junior continued to feast on Green in the final quarter, posting another negative yardage play.
After A&M's offense put together a crucial touchdown drive to go up four, the defense returned to the field needing a stop to put a bow on the victory. To cap off an outstanding day in the trenches, Scourton forced a fumble, which Jaydon Hiill fell on, to place the ball back into the hands of the A&M offense and secure one final victory at Jerry World.
"Coming off the bench, I'm like, 'I got to make a play. It's a tight game. Somebody needs to make a play,'" Scourton said. "I was thinking about just getting a good get-off. I knew he loved to roll out to that throwing hand. When I saw him get stuck on his read, I knew he was going to run. That's when instincts kicked in."
Before Saturday, the defensive lineman's stats through four games weren't gaudy, as he only recorded one sack against Notre Dame.
But the numbers didn't concern him.
"Honestly, you always want to be better and make more plays. The system I am in creates plays for me," Scourton said. "I am not going to really trip and get frustrated about not making as many sacks as I had last year or things like that. I am letting the game come to me."
Most likely his first and only season in Aggieland, Scourton's performance at AT&T Stadium demanded the attention of all in attendance, including Dallas Cowboys owner, president and GM Jerry Jones.
NFL teams far and wide should have their sights set firmly on the star from Bryan, Texas.
Scourton’s stats vs. Arkansas
Tackles: 4
Solo Tackles: 4
QB Hurries: 1
Sacks: 2.0
TFLs: 4.0
Scourton’s 2024 stats
Tackles: 14
Solo Tackles: 11
QB Hurries: 3
Sacks: 3.0
TFLs: 7.5
