2018 Roster

Now I’m reading that Williams is the reason Foreman ran for so many yards last year? I’ve been reading previously that he did it on his own in spite of our line last year.
 
2018 Secondary
looks pretty good right now, even with the losses of Deshon ("my guy") Elliott and Holton Hill. It now sounds as if Kris Boyd will return.

CB: Boyd and Davante Davis are the starting CBs in the Spring but Davis will have his hands full holding off talent. Kobe Boyce is one but so are the incoming freshmen (Jalen Green, BJ Foster (moving from safety) hopefully Anthony Cook)
Nickel: Josh Thompson to nickel. He was at nickel this season, doing well, but then we moved him to CB once Hill was suspended. He will probably be our starting nickle next year.
Dime: John Bonney is the starter in the Spring, but like Davis, he will have to fight off talented incoming freshmen.
Safety: PJ Locke (who did not have a good year at nickel) to safety, playing the Brandon Jones position. Maybe Chris Brown too who was drawing praise before an injury.
Safety: Jones will take the Elliott safety position. Of the incoming freshmen, Sterns might get a chance to press for time here. But hopefully Jones just becomes more consistent

Incoming Freshmen DBs
S BJ Foster 5-star
S Caden Sterns high 4-star
CB Jalen Green high 4-star
S/LB DeMarvion Overshown high 4-star
CB D'shawn Jamison 4-star
maybe CB Anthony Cook 5-star
 
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2018 Offensive Line
This is much harder to predict than the secondary. The Spring should be competitive, with players moving around. Plus, unlike the DBs, we dont yet know how the 2018 OL recruiting class is going to fill out. The hope is that we gain some instant experience via JUCOs. But its still too soon to say.

Best guesses for starters
RT: Derek Kerstetter - maybe our best 2018 lineman
RG: Elijah Rodriguez - would have been a starer in 2017 if not hurt
C: Zach Shackelfrod - probably has already hit his ceiling
LG: Patrick Vahe - has already hit his ceiling
LT: Sam Cosmi or a JUCO. We plan on Cosmi being a LT, but will it be 2018?
The JUCO OTs we are after are Traore and Grandy (and maybe Johnson). Traore is the #1 JUCO OL but it sounds more like Grandy as of today.
 
Htown77 said:
I will also add that Malik has the same number of sacks and only 2 more tackles for loss this year than Hager, who played significantly less.
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I believe Hager mostly lines up as a defensive lineman, which puts you closer to the ball/quarterback/backfield so more likely. Jefferson, unless blitzing, is going to be covering the line of scrimmage and downfield more...
 
I'm not worried about DB. Lack of talent can be made up by great coaching and vice versa but with the OL it's a double whammy. I don't know about JUCO's being the answer either. Nicholson and Hodges were supposed to be the answer a couple of years ago and we know how that worked out. Is there really any P5 top talent in JUCO?
 
Joe Fan said:
2018 Secondary
looks pretty good right now, even with the losses of Deshon ("my guy") Elliott and Holton Hill. It now sounds as if Kris Boyd will return.

CB: Boyd and Davante Davis are the starting CBs in the Spring but Davis will have his hands full holding off talent. Kobe Boyce is one but so are the incoming freshmen, esp Jalen Green and hopefully Anthony Cook
Nickel: Josh Thompson to nickel. He was at nickel this season, doing well, but then we moved him to CB once Hill was suspended. He will probably be our starting nickle next year.
Dime: John Bonney is the starter in the Spring, but like Davis, he will have to fight off talented incoming freshmen.
Safety: PJ Locke (who did not have a good year at nickel) to safety, playing the Brandon Jones position. Will we let Foster have a shot here in 2018?
Safety: Jones will take the Elliott safety position. Of the incoming freshmen, Sterns might get a chance to press for time here. But hopefully Jones just becomes more consistent

Incoming Freshmen DBs
S BJ Foster 5-star
S Caden Sterns high 4-star
CB Jalen Green high 4-star
S/LB DeMarvion Overshown high 4-star
CB D'shawn Jamison 4-star
maybe CB Anthony Cook 5-star
Click to expand...

DB is a deep part of our team. With recruits, we're good.
 
Joe Fan said:
2018 Offensive Line
This is much harder to predict than the secondary. The Spring should be competitive, with players moving around. Plus, unlike the DBs, we dont yet know how the 2018 OL recruiting class is going to fill out. The hope is that we gain some instant experience via JUCOs. But its still too soon to say.

Best guesses for starters
RT: Derek Kerstetter - maybe our best 2018 lineman
RG: Elijah Rodriguez - would have been a starer in 2017 if not hurt
C: Zach Shackelfrod - probably has already hit his ceiling
LG: Patrick Vahe - has already hit his ceiling
LT: Sam Cosmi or a JUCO. We plan on Cosmi being a LT, but will it be 2018?
The JUCO OTs we are after are Traore and Grandy (and maybe Johnson). Traore is the #1 JUCO OL but it sounds more like Grandy as of today.
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Is this spring only? Is that why no Hudson?
 
X Misn Tx said:
Is this spring only? Is that why no Hudson?
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Tis but a best guess. We do not even know the roster yet. We are pursuing multiple JUCO OTs right now -- offers out, visits being made. In addition, there is supposed to be a grad transfer OL we want and think we have a good chance with, but the name is not out yet (these guys are gold since they dont count against the 25-man class). So we will see. And yeah I agree with you that Hudson is going to be in the mix at OG. He may have the best upside of any of our interior linemen. Just needs to develop a mean streak (and stay healthy).
 
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Run Pincher said:
.... but with the OL it's a double whammy. I don't know about JUCO's being the answer either. Nicholson and Hodges were supposed to be the answer a couple of years ago and we know how that worked out. Is there really any P5 top talent in JUCO?
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Missing Walker Little last year hurt pretty bad.
Hodges got behind in school. Which got him in Strong's doghouse. He got the schoolwork steadied but by then was down in the depth chart. He wanted to start so he left and became a starter at RT at Pitt.
Like Hodges, both James and Harrison could have helped this OL but had issues and left/were run off. James is now a starter at RT for Auburn and Harrsion just got invited to play in the Senior Bowl.
Nickelson had the body of a LT but was too slow and didnt have the kneebend/hip flexibility.
And, yes, IMO at least, we need JUCO OLs right now. We can't let the 2018 OL flop like the 2017 OL did. If we do, it will set the whole program back.

Of the young guys, Sam Cosmi is also supposed to also have the body of a solid future LT. These guys dont grow on trees, so we have to hope this is correct. Did they get him ready with that RS year? We will see. Another good young OT we seem to be in good shape with is 2018 Junior Angilau of Utah, but its not official yet.

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ps - Just read something positive on JUCO OT Badara Traore. He is the best JUCO OT out there and could step in and play for us immediately. But he has been leaning LSU.
TFB says their source with him claims “Badara is going to go the place that gives him the best immediate opportunity. Even if he likes another place better he will where there’s the best opportunity.”
Well, I doubt there is another P5 program in the country with a better immediate opportunity than us.
 
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old65horn said:
If after he has shot his teammates and Longhorn family the middle finger by skipping the bowl?
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Yeah, however you want to feel about that is legitimate.

For me, I pegged Elliott as a future star before he ever committed to us. I thought he was perfect for this conference. But then Strong wouldnt play him. So I was happy to see him break out this season, just to confirm my personal bias.
 
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Joe Fan said:
...Like Hodges, both James and Harrison could have helped this OL but had issues and left/were run off. James is now a starter at RT for Auburn and Harrsion just got invited to play in the Senior Bowl......
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Besides Darius James, there is another one-time Longhorn in the CFP hunt

 
Here is the aggy view from 247 Brian Perroni

Texas A&M is in a prime position to establish itself as the state’s top program.

* * *
What is happening in Austin at the moment as well, it is a huge opportunity for Texas A&M to grab the momentum and keep it.

There was excitement about bringing Tom Herman to Austin. A year ago, before he was fired, Charlie Strong said that Texas was a 10-win team ‘no matter who the coach is.’ There is talent on the 40 Acres. After all that excitement, the Horns ended up 6-6 and saved Kliff Kingsbury’s job. They were lucky to get Iowa State before the Cyclones’ quarterback change or they may not have even been bowl eligible.

New coaches can lose. Many times it is expected, especially if the previous coach was fired vs. taking another job. However, if you lose, you better win over the locker room. That has not exactly happened at Texas.

The Longhorns had attrition before the season even started with defensive linemen Jordan Elliott and Chris Daniels, among others. However, that is nothing compared to what is happening now.

Horns247 had to put together a ‘hot board’ to keep track of the possible losses this offseason. OT Connor Williams is gone to the NFL and won’t play in a bowl. RB Chris Warren is transferring after being moved to tight end midseason.

What’s more damning, though, is the fact that a player like offensive lineman Jake McMillon – a two-year starter – is graduating and choosing to just walk away rather than play another year. The Longhorns actually have four offensive linemen that are likely not returning despite having eligibility remaining. And that is at a position where Texas has struggled to field healthy bodies.

Then you have potential transfers such as QB Shane Buechele, RB Toneil Carter and WR Devin Duvernay, who are still young and have contributed. There will be others as well.

Eventually, recruits are going to start wondering why these players are leaving. Some may have seen the writing on the wall but they were not all obvious attrition candidates, especially the starters. The fact that players with late-round grounds are likely to declare early for the NFL Draft doesn’t bode well for Texas either. The father of senior WR Armanti Foreman already blasted Herman and Co. this season and you can bet that the players that are leaving will let their feelings be known.

On the field, this will cause some problems. Texas does not have enough bodies on either side of the line and has struggled to recruit those positions in the 2018 class. The depth will be a huge issue next season. At quarterback, if Buechele leaves, Texas better hope Sam Ehlinger does not go down. They either tell him to stop running – which is what makes him dangerous – or brace for the fact that he is likely to miss time and there isn’t much behind him.

Texas hosts USC next year and the Trojans will receive a lot of preseason love. The aforementioned TCU, as well as Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, aren’t going anywhere. Iowa State is improved and there are other teams that could surprise the Horns as well. If Herman goes two seasons with subpar records and keeps running off players, that is not going to bode well for recruiting.

Where does that leave A&M?

A&M plays the past two national champions in a three-game span early next season but, other than that, the schedule is not as daunting as it could be. Nobody is expecting a massive turnaround right away but with a ton of freshmen in the lineup this year, the Aggies will be more experienced next year. If it shows up in the win-loss column, that will give A&M all kinds of momentum with the class of 2019 and beyond.

As for 2018, Texas has the No. 2 class in the country but it's not exactly as good as the Longhorns would have hoped. It is very much heavy on wide receivers and defensive backs as they have done a great job closing on those two positions, especially in a loaded year in the state. However, they have struck out on almost of their top targets on both lines, which are the areas of the most concern. The Longhorns only have one defensive line commit in the class despite going after several top prospects and losing out to both A&M and Oklahoma for them.

Also, A&M did lose a commitment from Leon O'Neal Jr. on Friday but there's still a realistic chance to add him back. Even if not, Fisher has already put the Aggies in position to land some very big-name recruits that they realistically were not going to get before.

Texas is not A&M’s rival anymore…on the field. In recruiting, though, the Longhorns will continue to be the Aggies’ challenger to dominate the landscape in the state. These next 12 months or so could go a very long way towards swaying things in A&M’s favor the way they were for Texas in the Mack Brown vs. Dennis Franchione era.

https://247sports.com/college/texas...-to-dominate-the-state-Jimbo-Fisher-111278450​
 
Godz40acres said:
Thank you, @Joe Fan - I was feeling a little down today. You've lifted my spirits to new heights.
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Well he is an Aggy speaking my fears out loud. Herman did not cause great expectations from his year one performance.
 
Joe Fan said:
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IT Justin Wells, who knows Kris Boyd pretty well, thinks he is coming back for 2018. He says Boyd is well aware of his draft grade and that he is determined improve it.

But the Football Brainiacs still thinks he will leave
 
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I really don't see how the O'line can be worse than last year.

If we can avoid the injury bug we should be an average O'line as opposed to the bad one we had last year. If we hit on a JUCO or 2 that can help and someone like Cosmi step up, we might even get a running game back.
 
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