Tag: Cashius Howell

Is Texas A&M’s next star pass rusher already on the roster?

Texas A&M EDGE Solomon Williams looks like the Aggies next stud pass rusher

Texas A&M’s 2025 roster is filled with young talent, especially along the defensive line. During Texas A&M’s 35-31 loss to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl, one young pass rusher stood out after appearing in a handful of games throughout the season.

Coach Mike Elko’s first recruiting class with the program included landing one of the rising prospects in the 2024 cycle, four-star edge Solomon Williams out of Florida, knowing that the Carrollwood Day product would become a primary contributor in the defensive trenches.

During his junior season in high school, Williams became a game wrecker, amassing 61 tackles, 15.5 sacks, and an impressive 32 tackles for loss. Gaining heavy interest from Oregon, Texas, and Alabama, Williams committed to the Aggies, knowing his play-time trajectory would come sooner rather than later in College Station.

Statistically, Williams saw the field against New Mexico State during the regular season. Still, due to several opt-outs, Williams appeared in 12 snaps vs. USC, recording three tackles and was in the backfield for a key tackle for loss, showing off his speed, power, and impressive get-off.

Next season, Williams will fight for a rotational spot behind senior edge Cashius Howell and junior Rylan Kennedy. In contrast, three edge rushers from the transfer portal will fill out the depth chart.

Standing at 6-3 and 250 pounds, Williams showed us all his capabilities, so it’s time to put in the work.

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Texas A&M senior Edge has a chance to lead the Aggie pass rush in 2025

Cashius Howell was the Aggies’ best pass rusher in 2024, and will have an even larger role next season

Texas A&M’s defensive line was dealt a blow this offseason after starters Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. This left incoming senior edge Cashius Howell and incoming junior defensive end Rylan Kennedy as the lone contributors in the trenches.

Howell, who transferred from Bowling Green after two seasons, earned his way into a key rotational role behind Shemar Stewart. However, he had a better statistical season than the potential first-round selection, producing 40 tackles, four sacks, seven pass deflections, and an interception in 13 games.

After recording six tackles in the Aggies’ regular season-finale loss to Texas, Howell’s impact took center stage after earning the starting defensive end spot vs. USC in the Las Vegas Bowl in place of Stewart, who, along with Scourton and Turner sat out of the game.

In one of his best carer performances, he nearly wrecked the game before the Trojans’s late comeback, finishing with five tackles, a sack, and his first career interception in a memorable deflection and diving grab.

According to Pro Football Focus, Howell’s prolific pass-rush grade of 87.4 was only second to South Carolina freshman phenom defensive end Dylan Stewart’s 91.5 grade, as Austin American Statesman reporter Tony Catalina recently pointed out.

Howell’s size (6-4, 250 pounds), athleticism, and versatility make him a mismatch for most offensive linemen.

Coach Mike Elko and his staff have added four edge rushers/defensive linemen this offseason, but even with the new additions, Howell remains the leader in the locker room and has a chance to shine in 2025.

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Final Texas A&M Pro Football Focus grades after 35-31 loss to USC

Here is how Pro Football Focus graded out Texas A&M’s offense and defense during Friday’s bowl game loss to USC

Texas A&M’s 2024 season officially ended in the early hours of Saturday morning, as the Aggies fell to USC in the game’s final minutes after holding a dominant 24-7 lead in the third quarter. Losing 35-31, the Aggie fan base was up in arms, and coach Mike Elko was equally upset at the poor defensive effort down the stretch.

However, as I noted in a recent article, some bright spots were seen throughout the night, especially the play of starting quarterback Marcel Reed and junior edge Cashius Howell, who provided solid tape ahead of taking the next step next season.

Even though the situation is at its lowest, Elko is keeping the program headed in the right direction. However, this doesn’t guarantee that every coach, including defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, is secure in their position.

After the game, Pro Football Focus released its player grades from the Las Vegas Bowl, starting with how the offense fared after scoring 31 points, led by Reed’s 292 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one rushing score.

Offense:

Texas A&M’s offensive line graded out well, as left tackle Trey Zuhn (78.2), left guard Chase Bisontis (70.2), and right tackles Dametreous Crownover (69.4) and Reuben Fatheree (65.5) all earned 80-plus pass blocking grades.

Marcel Reed (64.3) earned a 60 passing grade and 70 running grade, average to above average, in one of his most productive days through the air.

Defense:

Defensively, Cashius Howell unsurprisingly earned the highest overall grade (83.8) and a prolific pass-rush grade (90.6). Twelve Aggie defenders earned 60 or better defensive grades, while starting linebacker Taurean York was all over the field, earning 84 tackling and 83.4 run defense grades.

However, the low point came at the feet of freshman cornerback Dezz Ricks, who surrendered six receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown against the Trojans.

\This season, Ricks has been one of the lowest-rated corners in the country, allowing 655 yards, which is the most for Texas A&M since cornerback Charles Oliver allowed 664 yards.

Tackling-wise, The Aggies missed 149 tackles, according to PFF, which is the most since the 2016 season (174). Missed tackles directly reflect on the coaching staff, so this needs to be fixed as soon as the spring football season.

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Chiefs scouting report: Texas A&M Aggies OLB Cashius Howell

Texas A&M #Aggies outside linebacker Cashius Howell might be on the Kansas City #Chiefs’ radar in the 2025 NFL draft.

General Manager Brett Veach and the Kansas City Chiefs need to diversify the traits and athletic abilities found among their defensive linemen. Fortunately, the 2025 NFL draft features many talented pass rushers, including some mid-round prospects with intriguing potential.

Like Georgia’s Jalon Walker, Texas A&M standout Cashius Howell is an undersized outside linebacker with limited arm length. He negates his lack of length with excellent hand placement that grants him access to the offensive tackle’s frame. Howell dives impressive power through his hands to bull rush or pry open the B-gap.

Howell’s pass rush plan primarily consists of converting speed to power, long-arms, spins, swims, and two-handed swipes. He counters into the B-gap with his speed but lacks elite burst. Howell is an excellent football player but only an average athlete for his position. He struggles to provide consistent wins around the edge with speed or bend.

Howell’s leg drive helps him push linemen into gaps and close run lanes. His 6’4″, 245 lb. frame makes holding the point of attack difficult. Fortunately, Howell’s nose for the football is one of the best in the class. He flows to the ball and covers excellent ground in pursuit.

Howell took a decent amount of snaps in coverage for the Aggies in 2024. He’s a fluid mover in space and has the speed to cover tight ends like Mason Taylor. Howell reads the quarterback’s eyes to close or attack passing lanes.

Texas A&M’s Las Vegas Bowl D-line starters announced amid departures

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko announced who will step in place of Nic Scourton, Shemar Stewart, and Shemar Turner vs. USC in the Las Vegas Bowl

Texas A&M’s 2024 regular season might be over, but the Aggies still have a chance to win nine games and head into the 2025 offseason with momentum. Coach Mike Elko and his staff will be without 22 players, including 19 who entered the transfer portal and three NFL Draft-bound defenders.

While this was expected, depth across the defensive line is an issue going into next Friday’s Las Vegas Bowl vs. USC, as starting defensive ends Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart were the first players to declare for the draft. In contrast, senior defensive tackle Shemar Turner announced his intentions on Tuesday.

During Monday’s pre-bowl press conference, Elko discussed the departures while noting the team’s budding culture and the opportunity presented to the younger players, especially on defense, who will play the entire game and gain more experience heading into next season.

“For some of our seniors, there is a chance for them to go out and have a big game against USC. … It’s an individual basis. Our kids trust in the culture here. They trust in the coaches. They trust in what we’re saying.”

Along the defensive line, Elko confirmed that Edge/defensive end Cashius Howell, defensive tackle DJ Hicks, and defensive end Rylan Kennedy will likely play the entire game outside of a handful of snaps.

Howell, a star in the making during his first season with the Aggies, ended the year with 35 tackles and three sacks, earning a 73 defensive grade and a team-high 82.6 pass-rush grade per Pro Football Focus.

Kennedy, who finished the year with 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks, earned the second-highest PFF pass-rush grade (81.0), while DJ Hicks started most of the season next to Shemar Turner, finishing with 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Texas A&M will face USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27. The game will air on ESPN at 9:30 CT.

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Texas A&M DL Cashius Howell is ready to face his former team

Former Bowling Green DL Cashius Howell is the key to decyfering the Falcon’s offense

Texas A&M (2-1, 1-0 SEC) will return to Kyle Field to face Bowling Green (1-1) for a Saturday night showdown. The lingering question regarding who will start at quarterback for the Aggies will come down to Conner Weigman’s health status at the end of the week.

The Falcons are an interesting team with plenty of veteran leadership to keep any game competitive, led by senior quarterback Conner Bazelak, who has thrown for 422 yards and two touchdowns in the program’s first two games while almost defeating Penn State in Beaver Stadium to open the 2024 season.

However, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has his only secret weapon in the form of defensive lineman Cashius Howell, who currently starts at the Jack position in Elko and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman’s defense. For the last three seasons, Howell was a member of the Falcon defense, recording 9.5 sacks in 2023.

In his first season with the Aggies, Howell spoke on Monday regarding his comfortability at the Jack position. He has already recorded nine tackles and his first sack against Florida.

“It’s kind of like a hybrid position between a defensive end and a buck linebacker.”

“I feel like they named it jack because it’s like a jack-of-all-trades.”

Due to his size and athleticism, he is extremely versatile, so it’s no surprise that his snaps continue to increase every game. Set to face his former teammates, Howell knows this reunion will be short-lived once both teams hit the field. However, deep-rooted friendships still remain in place.

“Those are my best friends. A lot of those guys will be at my wedding. It’s kind of bad blood, but I keep in contact. I’m still in good graces with the coaches.”

“I still play video games and talk on the phone with some of my roommates. I’m excited to play (Bowling Green).”

While Texas A&M as a program has experienced its fair share of Group of Five losses, including the memorable Appalachian State loss under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, Howell’s warning to his new team should help in preparations this week to prevent another shocking outcome.

“I know how Power 5 schools go into these lower conference-level games. Every year I was at BG, we had an upset over a higher conference school. … They’re going to come in here ready to go to work and get after us.”

“I’ve been telling all my teammates and coaches that for a long time.”

Texas A&M will host Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 21. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.

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Texas A&M’s Week 4 depth chart has been released ahead of facing Bowling Green

Texas A&M’s Week 4 depth chart reveals little change ahead of Saturday’s home test vs. Bowling Green

Texas A&M’s critical SEC road win against the Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon was the program’s first conference road win since the 2021 season and head coach Mike Elko’s first SEC victory.

Heading into next Saturday’s home test vs. Bowling Green on Saturday night, the Aggies are heavy favorites, but don’t forget that this MAC team nearly pulled off an epic upset over a top-ten-ranked Penn State team in Beaver Stadium to open the 2024 season.

On Monday, Elko, along with running back EJ Smith, defensive tackle Albert Regis, and former Bowling Green defensive lineman Cashius Howell, spoke to the media two days after the win. Howell’s experience with the program should give the Aggies an upper hand on Saturday.

“I know how Power 5 schools go into these lower conference-level games. Every year I was at BG, we had an upset over a higher conference school. … They’re going to come in here ready to go to work and get after us.”

“I’ve been telling all my teammates and coaches that for a long time.”

Before the press conference, Texas A&M’s Week 4 depth chart was released to the public just a week after it was announced that starting nickel corner Tyreek Chappell would miss the season due to injury. This vaulted former Flordia corner Jaydon Hill into the starting lineup.

More standard than surprise, quarterback Conner Weigman, who missed the Florida game due to a shoulder injury, is still listed as the starter but is currently day-to-day going into this week’s practice. If Weigman is not 100%, it’s more likely than not that redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed will make his second consecutive start this weekend.

https://twitter.com/texags/status/1835699333968035923?s=61&t=DwC_Ptrg_8G_wpAQClJgDA

Texas A&M will host Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 21. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.

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Senior DL Shemar Turner featured in our Texas A&M Countdown to Kickoff

Senior DL Shemar Turner comes in at No. 5 in our countdown to the 2024 season opener vs. Notre Dame

The countdown to Texas A&M’s 2024 season opener against Notre Dame is nearing single digits.

Ten days remain before the 7th-ranked Fighting Irish head to College Station for a primetime showdown. New Aggies head coach Mike Elko has completed the long journey to accepting the position, going through his first offseason, and finishing his first fall practice period with the team this month.

Aggies Wire will focus on one player daily for the next ten days, ranking the Top 10 players on the 2024 roster. Coming in at No. 6 on our list, senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner, who will permanently move inside after playing defensive end last season, looks to set the tone of the Aggie defense this fall.

Playing like the best defender on the roster for half the year, tied with current Green Bay Packer LB Edgerrin Cooper, Turner ended the year with 33 tackles, six sacks, and ten tackles for loss. He consistently played with a high motor while setting an edge and stopping the run at a high rate, making his offseason move to defensive tackle a no-brainer.

Adding more size while working with new S&C coach Tommy Moffitt, Turner’s summer appearance at SEC Media Days showed a player that didn’t look close to his now 6-4, 300-pound frame, meaning more muscle was gained than fat.

Oct 28, 2023; College Station, Texas; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Turner (5) rushes South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) during the second half at Kyle Field. Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports
Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

A proven leader, the new faces across the Aggie D-line will depend on his leadership to get through the season, especially SEC play, knowing that the rest of the defense can count on Turner to provide interior pressure and allow the likes of defensive end Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart to collapse the pocket.

Texas A&M’s 2024 defensive line looks like an elite unit on paper, and Shemar Turner will undoubtedly be a big part of this group’s success.

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‘He will play alot’ DL Cashius Howell looks like Texas A&M’s secret weapon

Junior DL Cashius Howell quietly recorded 9.5 sacks during his final season with Bowling Green

Reliable pass rushers are in high demand at every level of football.

As college football offenses become more pass-dominant, being able to deploy athletes off the edge or in twists/stunts provides a huge advantage, especially in the SEC.

As Texas A&M’s 2024 season begins next Saturday, the Aggies will host No. 7 Notre Dame inside what could be a sold-out Kyle Field, which will also serve as Mike Elko’s inaugural season head coach after serving in the same capacity with the Duke Blue Devils are the past two seasons.

Inheriting a talented roster, including a loaded defensive line, Elko utilized the transfer portal this offseason, landing commitments from former Purdue defensive end Nic Scourton, who led the Big Ten in sacks (10) last season, and former Bowling Green defensive lineman Cashius Howell, who recorded 9.5 sacks in 2023.

While Scourton certainly brings immediate NFL-level strength and production to the line, first-year defensive coordinator Jay Bateman spoke about Howell’s potential impact this season due to his versatility in the trenches after an impressive fall camp.

“He is tremendous. He is a unique player and can do a lot of different things… He is a really important part of the defense, and he will play a ton. Glad to have him.”

Adding more weight to his frame this offseason, Howell now stands at 6-4 and 245 pounds. During his three seasons at Bowling Green, Howell recorded 56 tackles, 27 solo tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

Right now, Howell will likely rotate in as a backup defensive end behind Nic Scourton, with the ability to move inside if needed.

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‘The D-line is crazy’ Texas A&M LB Scooby Williams knows Texas A&M’s team strength

Texas A&M’s defensive line has a chance to be special

Accurately grading Texas A&M’s fall practice period is nearly impossible for those of us in the media who only witnessed short portions of each practice. Still, from that bird’s eye view, it’s evident that the team has the potential to excel on offense, defense, and, yes, even special teams, which should fill every Aggie with hope.

Before Sunday’s final fall scrimmage, former Florida linebacker Scooby Williams, who followed new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman to College Station, joined several other players to discuss the progress made on defense this month.

When asked what he believes the Aggies’ strength will be this season, Williams was immediate in his response, and his answer didn’t surprise any of us who have been paying attention:

 “The D-Line is crazy. There is a bunch of NFL potential on it.”

Texas A&M’s defensive line is by far the strongest unit on Texas A&M’s 2024 roster, as Elko’s respected defensive background led to landing former Purdue defensive end Nic Scourton, who led the Big Ten in sacks (10) last season.

Scourton and former Bowling Green Edge Cashius Howell join the likes of junior defensive linemen Shemar Stewart and Shemar Turner across a defensive line littered with blue-chip talent with plenty of pass rush potential.

Dialed into the final week of fall practice, TexAgs Co-Owner Billy Liucci recently noted on the latest episode of the Loochaor Podcast that A&M’s defensive line depth should play a big role in rotations based on each opponent throughout the SEC slate, referencing players such as defensive ends Rylan Kennedy and Malick Sylla who should see the field in some capacity.

Scooby Williams is currently battling for the second linebacker spot next to starting MLB Taurean York with former Pitt LB Solomon DeSheilds and sophomore backer Daymion Sanford. Williams finished with 52 tackles, one sack, and two forced fumbles during his final season with the Gators.

No. 20-ranked Texas A&M will host No. 7-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

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