According to Texas Aggies United, freshmen, WR Micah Tease and DL DJ Hicks, and sophomore OL Dametrious Crownover are returning for next year.
A trio of Texas A&M underclassmen will be back for the 2024 football season to officially kick off the Mike Elko era in College Station.
According to Texas Aggies United, freshmen, wide receiver Micah Tease & defensive lineman DJ Hicks, and sophomore offensive lineman Dametrious Crownover are returning for the next campaign. Crownover is an incoming junior while Tease and Hicks will be sophomores.
It was originally reported on Jan. 3 that Hicks would be forgoing the transfer portal and remain in Aggieland. Hicks will work directly with Sean Spencer, who was hired from Florida to coach the defensive line. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound native of Katy, Texas graduated from Paetow High School last year.
He committed to Texas A&M as a 5-star recruit who was ranked amongst the top 15 players in the country. According to 247Sports, Hicks was the No. 1 player from the Lone Star State in the Class of 2023. He was selected to play in the Under Armour All-America game and Polynesian Bowl.
Hicks played in 11 games for the Aggies this season, tallying 13 tackles (6 solo), 2 tackles for a loss of yards and 1 sack. He racked up 2 tackles during the Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 against No. 20 Oklahoma State.
Tease had a rocky first season in College Station as he was arrested in September. Crownover’s older brother, Earnest, declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Dec. 28 and was a finalist for the Lowman Trophy.
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RB Earnest Crownover III announced Thursday that he has declared for the NFL Draft and he may be headed to the league with some hardware.
Texas A&M running back Earnest Crownover III announced Thursday that he has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and he may be headed to the league with some hardware.
The Aggies graduate student was named a finalist for the Lowman Trophy, presented by Barstool Sports to the best fullback in college football. While Crownover may not technically be a fullback, he did line up countless times in the backfield between the quarterback and running back during his time in College Station.
The other two finalists for the award are Kansas State redshirt junior tight end Ben Sinnott and SMU redshirt sophomore fullback Stone Eby. The winner will be revealed during the Arizona Bowl between Toledo and Wyoming, which begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT.
Before De’Von Achane became a Dolphin and led millions of people to fantasy football glory this year, he starred at Kyle Field. Crownover was the ultimate teammate to Achane, blocking for him on several touchdown runs, including during a 2022 game at South Carolina.
RB coach gotta be in coach ear about this one. âLetâs just run it down hill we got itâ. Earnest Crownover đ€ pic.twitter.com/qGmZDLkK01
Crownover also displayed his ability to catch passes out of the backfield as a fullback, like during the Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium, which was a 34-22 win against Arkansas back in September.
FULLBACK TOUCHDOWN LETS GOOO!
Earnest Crownover with his second receiving touchdown of the season for the Aggies
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Following the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas A&M running back Earnest Crownover III announced Thursday afternoon that he has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Following the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night in Houston, Texas A&M running back Earnest Crownover III announced Thursday afternoon that he has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
The graduate student shared his decision with a statement on X.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank God for blessing me to play the game that I love and for every opportunity he has afforded me along the way.
“To my family and friends, thank you for being with me each and every step of the way, your continuous support has not gone unnoticed. I will forever be grateful for everything that has been done to help me reach where I am today.
“To coach Fisher, coach Blackwell, coach Petrino, coach (Tommie Robinson) and coach Kerr- Thank you for putting your trust in me and giving me a chance to show what I am capable of. Thank you to all of the coaches who have helped guide me along the way.
“Lastly, thank you Texas A&M University! Thank you for making my time here unforgettable. Playing in front of the 12th Man… there is nothing like it!
“With that being said I am proud to announce – I WILL BE DECLARING FOR THE 2024 Draft.
Crownover became an Aggie in 2020 after transferring from Kilgore Junior College in Texas. He is 6-foot-3, 235 pounds and a graduate of Grandview High School.
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Social media was loving Texas A&M’s defensive effort, highlighted by nine tackles for loss and a much-needed defensive touchdown in the third quarter.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Texas A&M and Arkansas ushered in another highly-contested chapter of the Southwest Classic in Week 5. With two programs eager to pick up a season-altering victory, it was the Aggies’ defense that rose to the occasion.
In facing one of the SEC’s most well-respected tandems in quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim Sanders, Texas A&M leveraged their battle-tested experience to the fullest. The Maroon and White limited the Razorbacks to just two field goals in the first half, and aside from some early struggles on the third down, played extremely well in the trenches.
By the start of the fourth quarter, the Aggies had nine tackles for loss, four sacks, and a much-needed defensive score by Edgerrin Cooper. Max Johnson played poised with an early touchdown to Evan Stewart while moving the chains with some plays outside the pocket.
But a rough offensive third quarter, exacerbated by an interception and a lost fumble by Johnson, ultimately kept the Hogs in the game, despite having no business doing so. Thankfully, A&M’s consistency on defense kept the Razorbacks at bay.
Here are the best social media reactions to Texas A&M’s dominant defensive performance against Arkansas in Week 5.
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Texas A&M has some big shoes to fill in the backfield, but the Aggies are well situated with two experienced running backs and a true freshman with star upside.
Texas A&M kicks off the 2023 college football season in just under two months, and while the offseason is nearing its conclusion sooner than later, itâs time to preview what Jimbo Fisher and his staff will be working with from a roster perspective.
The Aggies featured one of the college football’s fastest running backs last season. Still, his departure opens up a handful of opportunities for the returning tailbacks and one incoming freshman whose upside is sky-high.
Returning production:Â Junior Amari Daniels returns after appearing in six games for the Aggies last season, totaling 36 carries for 200 yards with an average of 5.6 yards per attempt. Across two seasons with the Maroon and White, Daniels has averaged 5.7 yards per carry as he prepares to take on an elevated role within the offense.
Sophomore Le’Veon Moss gives the running back room an extra dose of experience after appearing in seven games for Texas A&M last year. He finished with 27 carries for 114 rushing yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
Though his opportunities were limited, Earnest Crownover rounds out a trio of returning tailbacks in what will be his fourth season in Aggieland. Throughout his collegiate career, Crownover has logged ten carries for 35 yards to go alongside one reception for 25 yards.
Departures:Â The Aggies will have significant shoes to fill after De’Von Achane declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, eventually being selected in the third round by the Miami Dolphins. Achane tallied 196 carries for 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns, with an average of 5.6 yards per carry. He also added 36 receptions for 196 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Achane finished as the SEC’s third-highest rushing leader in 2022, behind only Ole Miss’ Quinshon Judkins (1,567 yards) and Arkansas‘ Raheim Sanders (1,443 yards).
Final Observation:Â Losing an elite talent like Achane stings, but the Aggies should be well situated in their transition with a running back room filled with four and five-star talent. Daniels was a four-star prospect out of Miami Central in the 2021 cycle, while Moss was a four-star in the Aggies’ vaunted 2022 recruiting class.
That experience tandem should only benefit Texas A&M’s true freshman in, Rueben Owens, who profiles as a five-star prospect out of El Campo. During his senior season, Owens rushed for 1,785 yards and 25 touchdowns and was ranked as 247Sports’ top overall running back in the country. He’s progressed significantly through spring football that he should be in the rotation as a true freshman, with the potential to be one of the Aggies’ top two backs by season’s end.
New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is expected to improve the offense and aid Jimbo Fisher in being a more effective game manager, and a versatile running back room with experience and tremendous upside should play a vital role in that task.
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Going into the 2022 football season, Aggies Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas A&M roster.
Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Jimbo Fisher this season.
Earnest Crownover is entering his redshirt junior season at the running back position for Texas A&M, bring his hardnosed running style to a running back group as deep and talented as the Aggies have possessed in quite some time. As an original commit to Army, Crownover’s recruiting journey would eventually lead to him singing with Texas A&M in January of 2020.
Crownover, who due to prolonging his commitment, committed to the Aggies on Jan. 18. 2020, and ended up appearing in four games during the 2020 season, running for 16 yards on 3 carries, playing primarily on special teams. During the 2021 season, he appeared in 8 games, rushing for 17 yards on 5 carries, and made his first career start against Mississippi State. Due to his versatility, strength, and running style, Earnest Crownover is just another weapon for Jimbo Fisher to unleash at any time, especially in goal-line situations.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown:Â Grandview, Texas
Height:Â 6-3
Weight:Â 230lbs
247Sports Composite Ranking
Class of 2020: 3-Star player ranking, 18th ranked JUCO player in Texas, 8th ranked JUCO running back in the country
Career Stats
Year
G
Att
Yards
YPA
2020
4
3
16
5.3
2021
9
5
17
3.4
Depth Chart Overview
Earnest Crownover is currently projected as a rotational/backup running back in Texas A&M’s pro-style offense, led by head coach Jimbo Fisher, and offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey. He is presently listed behind running backs LJ Johnson (Redshirt Freshman), Amari Daniels (Sophomore), and starter Devon Achane (Junior). From a scouting perspective,
Crownover is very large for the position, standing at 6-3, 230lbs, and has been utilized as a running back, fullback, and an H back with the Aggies during his first two seasons. As a runner, his size comes into play on every attempt, especially on outside runs in space, taking advantage of smaller backside defenders.
As a receiver, he displays the keen ability to look the ball in his hands and catch it away from his body. Performing very well during the 2022 Spring game, Crownover picked up where he left off as one of the Aggies’ best pass blockers in 2021 while using his size to his advantage. As an important piece of special teams, his blocking ability and sheer toughness place him on both kickoff and punt return units, making him one of the more valuable weapons that many fans may not know a lot about just yet.
Playersâ Photo Gallery
Sep 18, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back Earnest Crownover (24) leaps over New Mexico Lobos safety Mathias Bertram (31) during the second half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsSep 18, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; New Mexico Lobos safety Mathias Bertram (31) and Texas A&M Aggies running back Earnest Crownover (24) in action during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the New Mexico Lobos at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
