Tag: Dezz Ricks

‘I think it will be a real strength’ Texas A&M’s cornerback room is taking shape

Texas A&M’s cornerback room is loaded, led by former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks who has looked the part during fall camp

As Texas A&M’s fall practice period enters its final stages before the Aggies prepare for the 2024 season opener vs. Notre Dame, head coach Mike Elko, alongside offensive coordinator Collin Klein and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, spoke to the local media after the program’s 14th fall practice on Saturday.

Ahead of the team’s final fall scrimmage on Sunday, Bateman, who has received praise for his coaching tactics from multiple players, discussed the immense progress made by A&M’s cornerback room, which features five new veterans from the transfer portal, including former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks.

Ricks, a 5-star prospect out of the prestigious IMG Academy in the 2023 recruiting class, left Tuscaloosa after one season, knowing that joining two of the best defensive minds in Collge Station was the right move for his playing career. According to Bateman, Ricks has consistently stood out this month, as his elite traits have shown up throughout the fall period.

“Dezz (Ricks), we have been really impressed with… Every practice he continued to impress, and he is really talented.”

“That corner room is really competitive, and I think it will be a real strength.”

Reading the term “strength” being associated with Texas A&M’s cornerback rotation is certainly a positive change of pace compared to last season’s ugly results. Senior corner Tyreek Chappell also noted that with the added depth, speed, and length at the outside corner and nickel, this unit has plenty of juice to be formidable and match up against any offense.

“A shutdown, lockdown secondary… I believe we can be the best defense in the league this year.”

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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Here are the players who have not dressed out for the Maroon & White spring game

Here are they players you won’t see during the Aggies’ Maroon & White spring game on Saturday afternoon

Texas A&M’s spring season will come to an end on Saturday afternoon, as the annual Maroon & White spring game will wrap up what has been a successful precursor to head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural 2024 season.

However, while this game provides a glimpse of what’s to come during fall camp and the strides the roster has made in just two months under the new regime, several notable players will not appear this afternoon.

Just half an hour before both teams took the field, it was released that over 20 players, including several presumed 2024 starters, will not appear in the spring game due to injury or basic precaution, and thanks to GigEm247’s Carter Karels, here is the complete list of the players who will sit out on Saturday.

Out of that list, former five-star cornerback Dezz Ricks and returning tight end Donovan Green’s absence is notable. Still, if they need added rest and recovery ahead of arduous months ahead, this is more than warranted.

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Here are the Top 5 incoming defensive transfers to watch out for during spring football

Here are five of the incoming transfer portal members on defense for Texas A&M to watch during the start of spring football next month.

It may be early in the offseason, but Texas A&M’s spring football season is less than a month away, and all eyes will be on how new head coach Mike Elko and his impressive coaching staff will develop the defense, including a bulk of the incoming defensive transfers looking to contribute in 2024 immediately.

Bringing in a wealth of elite defensive knowledge, Elko, combined with new defensive coordinator/ linebackers coach Jay Bateman, see eye to eye scheme-wise, but for consistent success to be had, the newly acquired seasoned veterans paired with key returners such as senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner is the only way towards said production.

With 13 of the program’s 22 portal additions coming on defensive, Aggie’s horrific performance in the secondary last season, specifically a lack of size, depth, and overall talent at cornerback, provided Elko a blueprint on how to attack the portal, landing five corners and two safeties to compete for starting/rotational spots.

Looking ahead to the start of Texas A&M’s spring football season, here are five transfer portal defenders to watch out for next month!

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko’s cornerback haul from the transfer portal might define the Aggies 2024 season

After landing five cornerbacks through the transfer portal, Texas A&M 2023 weakness may have become a strength heading into 2024.

The totality of Texas A&M’s 2024 Transfer Portal additions has been nothing short of spectacular, as new head coach Mike Elko has addressed nearly every position group after quickly examining the strengths and weaknesses the roster presented during the Aggies’ loss to Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl last month.

Defensively, several losses to the portal led by former five-star DL Walter Nolen (transferred to Ole Miss) and EDGE Fadil Diggs (transferred to Syracuse) led Elko and his staff to make one of the splashier moves the offseason after acquiring star pass rusher and Bryan, Texas native Nic Scourton, who, in just his second seasons at Purdue led the Big Ten in sacks (10) last season.

However, the five cornerback additions, including Will Lee Jr. (Kansas State), Dezz Ricks (Alabama), Jaydon Hill (Florida), BJ Mayes (UAB), and Donovan Saunders (Cal Poly) will likely have a more significant impact on next seasons results more than the defensive line, as last year’s lack of size, depth and experience gave way to multiple opposing receivers accounting for 100-plus yard outings, including 213 yards for Ole Miss WR Tre Watson.

On paper, Will Lee Jr. (6’3″), who started every game last season for Kansas State, recorded a 76.2 PFF coverage grade and looks like a “plug and play” option. At the same time, UAB transfer BJ Mayes (6’1″) also brings the height, length, and man coverage ability that was dreadfully lacking in the secondary in all of A&M’s 6 losses in 2023.

Former Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks (6’1″) brings the most potential at the spot, as the No.2-ranked cornerback in the 2023 recruiting class has a chance to immediately earn a starting/rotational spot on the outside due to talent alone, getting a chance to suit up as soon as spring football begins.

Depth-wise, Donovan Saunders (6’3″) brings a year of starting experience on the boundary, while Jaydon Hill will likely see time in the slot as he did last season with the Gators. Lastly, returning cornerbacks Jaylon Thomas, Bravion Rogers and Sam McCall may have struggled when thrown into the fire last season. However, the talent is still there, and new CB coach Ishmael Aristide possesses the coaching chops to help aid their transition into year two.

With a bevy of potential offensive juggernauts in SEC next season, including the Texas Longhorns, it’s no surprise that Elko had made these moves in droves.

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Former 4-star, Alabama cornerback transferring to Texas A&M

Several days after entering his name into the transfer portal, former Alabama cornerback has announced that he is transferring to Texas A&M.

There has been plenty of roster attrition in Tuscaloosa in recent days and weeks. One of the more recent transfer portal additions was Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks. Recently, Ricks announced that he was transferring to Texas A&M.

Ricks spent one season in Tuscaloosa. He played in two games and did not record any stats.

Ricks is a former top-25 recruit. The Virginia native chose the Crimson Tide over LSU coming out of high school. After entering the transfer portal, many suspected that he would take an official visit to LSU. That never came to fruition.

Now, Ricks is headed to College Station to play for a newly assembled Aggies coaching staff. It will be interesting to see how Ricks pans out in Texas A&M’s secondary for the rest of his college career.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest news regarding the Alabama football program and its former players in the NCAA transfer portal.

Alabama transfer CB Dezz Ricks announces commitment to SEC school

Dezz Ricks spurned the Tigers in favor of the Tide on his signing day in 2023.

As soon as [autotag]Dezz Ricks[/autotag] entered the transfer portal, LSU fans were all over the news.  Tiger fans were hoping [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] might be able to bring him to the bayou after Ricks spurned the Tigers in favor of the Tide on his signing day in 2023.

That turned out to not be the case as Ricks canceled a visit he made to LSU and news dropped that he was no longer considering LSU for his next school. We now see why he decided to cancel his visit as he announced that he would be heading to College Station to play for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Mike Elko was named the new head coach of the Aggies after Jimbo Fisher was fired. Elko is trying to rebuild the Aggies and change the culture as the Aggies found themselves in a rough place on the field.

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Another player with Louisiana ties enters the transfer portal

Senior Trey Amos from New Iberia, Louisiana, has entered the transfer portal.

It appears as though LSU will miss out on [autotag]Dezz Ricks[/autotag] in the transfer portal, but another Alabama cornerback with Louisiana ties has recently entered the portal, and he has a lot more experience.

Senior [autotag]Trey Amos[/autotag] from New Iberia, Louisiana, has entered the transfer portal following Nick Saban’s retirement. Amos spent his first three years in college playing for Louisiana-Lafayette before transferring to Tuscaloosa. He appeared in all 14 games this season for the Crimson Tide and totaled 12 tackles and five pass break-ups.

Amos was in line to start at cornerback next season for the Tide but he will now explore his options in the transfer portal. Cornerback is a position where LSU could use some more help so it would make sense for Brian Kelly to at least reach out and gauge Amos’ interest in coming to Baton Rouge. If he were to transfer to LSU, he would be immediately eligible and have one year of eligibility remaining.

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BREAKING: Texas A&M lands a commitment from former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks

Texas A&M’s transfer portal dominance has continued, now adding former Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks from the transfer portal.

Texas A&M’s transfer portal dominance has been nothing short of incredible. New Mike Elko has continued to add a bevy of talent and experience at nearly every postion, most notably in the secondary, adding seven players at cornerback and safety.

However, outside of adding former Purdue EDGE Nic Sourton, who led the Big Ten in sacks last season, Elko has now landed a huge commitment from former Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks, who visited the Aggies on Tuesday afternoon and is the 3rd-ranked cornerback in the transfer portal.

Coming out of the 2023 recruiting class, Ricks was a five-star prospect, and according to 247Sports composite, he was the 25th-ranked player in the cycle, the 2nd-ranked cornerback and the 6th-ranked player in Florida out of the elite IMG Academy in Bradenton (FL).

Standing at 6’1″ and just over 185 pounds, Ricks was seldom used during his freshman season due to the depth in the secondary while sitting behind future NFL starter Terrion Arnold throughout the season. Ricks now joins the likes of cornerbacks Will Lee Jr. (Kansas State), BJ Mays (UAB), Donovan Saunders (Cal Poly), and Jaydon Hill (Florida) as the camp battles will truly be something to watch this fall.

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Former 5-Star Alabama CB is now predicted to land with Texas A&M

247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong has submitted his prediction for former Alabama CB Dezz Ricks to transfer to Texas A&M.

Well, that was quick! After Noles247’s Zach Bolstein reported that former Alabama cornerback Dezz Ricks had planned a visit to Texas A&M this week, 247Sports’ Recruiting Director Steve Wiltfong submitted his official prediction for the Aggies to pick up a commitment from the 17th-ranked player in the transfer portal.

Coming out of the 2023 recruiting class, Ricks was a five-star prospect, and according to 247Sports composite, he was the 25th-ranked player in the cycle, the 2nd-ranked cornerback and the 6th-ranked player in Florida out of the elite IMG Academy in Bradenton (FL).

Standing at 6’1″ and just over 185 pounds, Ricks was seldom used during his freshman season due to the depth in the secondary while sitting behind future NFL starter Terrion Arnold throughout the season.

So far this offseason, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has been nothing short of masterful while utilizing the transfer portal, already adding four cornerbacks to what is currently posited as the 2nd-ranked transfer portal class. Due to his size, natural talent, and SEC experience, Dezz Ricks would immediately compete for a starting/rotational spot on the Aggies’ defense in 2024.

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Report: Alabama cornerback transfer Dezz Ricks cancels visit to LSU

Dezz Ricks was supposed to visit LSU this week, but that trip is now off.

LSU looked like it was going to get a second shot at [autotag]Dezz Ricks[/autotag], a former five-star cornerback in the 2023 class who reclassified from 2024.

Ricks ultimately signed with Alabama, but after redshirting his first season in Tuscaloosa and the retirement of coach [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag], he opted to enter the transfer portal. LSU was one of the teams that reached out to Ricks, and it was expected to host him for a visit.

That visit is now off, according to a report from 247Sports’ Zach Blostein. Ricks is coming off a trip to Texas A&M and could still visit Oregon and Ole Miss.

It’s a tough break for the Tigers with one of the top transfers on their board, especially at a position of great need. LSU has already landed one transfer cornerback this offseason in Ohio State’s [autotag]Jyaire Brown[/autotag].

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