Tag: Jayvon Thomas

Texas A&M’s secondary is slowly but surely coming together

Texas A&M’s cornerback/safety rotation continues to play with confidence

Former head coach Jimbo Fisher can partially blame the shaky secondary he put on the field during his final season with the program, as more than half of Texas A&M’s losses last season were due to 100-plus yard performances from receivers taking full advantage of the lack of speed and length on the boundary.

New head coach Mike Elko immediately diagnosed the problem after watching the film, especially in last season’s loss to Alabama, as former wide receiver Jermaine Burton wrecked the Aggie secondary for 9 catches, 197 yards, and two touchdowns.

Knowing that the transfer portal was the only answer combined with young cornerbacks and safeties on the roster, Elko landed seven corner and safety transfers, led by former Kansas State CB Will Lee III, who has been one of the program’s top performers over the last two games.

After Saturday’s 52-10 win over McNeese State, Lee spoke to the media after recording his first interception with the program. He noted how the secondary is playing more aggressively while gaining confidence with tougher matchups ahead.

“We are more aggressive and communicative. We ended up being more focused on locked on everything we are supposed to do. I feel like that showed in our play today.”

One of the biggest moves this offseason was Elko and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman opting to move junior defensive back Bryce Anderson back to safety full-time. With the addition of safeties Trey Jones and Marcus Ratcliffe, the Aggies are one of the more athletic defensive backfields in the conference and should only get better as the season rolls on.

After two games, Texas A&M’s pass defense is ranked 33rd nationally, with two interceptions and 257 passing yards allowed thus far.

Texas A&M will travel to Gainsville to take on the Florida Gators on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Here are the Top 5 Texas A&M defensive players that need to make an impact this spring

Ahead of spring football, here are five Texas A&M defensive players who need to improve, starting 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 help what should be an elite defensive unit, led incoming senior defensive lineman Shemar Turner, former Purdue Edge Nic Scourton, who led the Big 10 in sacks (10) last season.

Not to ignore the 22 transfers that are due to make an immediate impact, but looking at the current roster members that need to take the next step in their collective development will help dictate what Aggie fans should look forward to during spring football, which is now less than a month away.

While Turner’s return basically solidifies A&M’s defensive line, younger members in trenches, including DJ Hicks and Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, showed flashes during their extended snaps in the Aggies bowl loss to Oklahoma State and are both deemed to play much larger roles in 2024.

Including several players in the secondary and a linebacker competing for a starting job, here are the five Aggies on defense that need to step up during spring football, heading into the 2024 season.

Texas A&M’s defense has made a big leap forward, but the secondary is a step behind

Bosting a top ten defensive in the nation the Aggie can make a big jump with four games remaining if the secondary can find their footing.

How do you feel about the 2023 football season, eight games through the regular season? Me?… I’m in the “meh” stage of what has become the standard of a Jimbo Fisher-led team in Bryan-College Station. Excluding the outlier year in 2022, I’ve come to expect an eight-win season and a bowl-game win, giving me something to look forward to in the next season.

Even within the ups and downs of this year, the talented defensive line full of blue-chip talent is coming into its own, creating opportunities for the linebackers to run and hit. Aggie defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin has also been mixing it up with blitzes from the secondary and linebacker, putting a load of stress on opposing quarterbacks, and ranking them among the top units in the country.

Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

Despite how impressive the front seven are playing, we may forget about the elephant in the room, which is coverage. Two or three games into last season, it appeared that Denver Harris and Tyreek Chappell would be a formidable duo to throw the ball against this season. Fast forward a year, and Harris is no longer with the program, and Chappell is moving around while the staff is rotating a few other cornerbacks as they try to find the best combination.

Without being able to watch practices, I have no idea how everyone looks and what goes into the game-day decisions. So, we have to do what we do best and speculate on what we can find. There are some opinions that transfer Sam McCall and freshman Jayvon Thomas need to see the field a little bit more.

Ole Miss may not be the game to jump down the depth chart for the cornerback position, but I am curious how some of these other CBs will fare against SEC competition. I’d now play Chappell, Harmon, and DeBerry at the nickel position. Then, a rotation that included the two mentioned in the paragraph above and sophomore Bobby Taylor.

Whatever the decision may be, Lane Kiffin will be bringing in a high pace offense and a mobile quarterback that can put stress on a defense. The secondary will have to be on their game to help take away that first read, allowing the pass rush to cook.

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

The Aggie defense is the top-ranked defense in the SEC and a top-ten defense in the nation. If the secondary can find their groove, they can quickly move into the top five in the country and help quite some of the de-commit chatter around the team if they can win out and look good doing it.

Texas A&M and Ole Miss will kick off from inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 11:00 a.m. CT and will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Texas A&M Fall Practice Surprise: Freshman CB Jayvon Thomas is competing for a starting spot

In a surprising turn of events, freshman cornerback Jayvon Thomas is reportedly competing for starting spot on defense.

Texas A&M’s 2023 football season is less than a month away. Amid fall practice this week, whispers regarding the starting cornerback competition have come full circle after the Aggies open scrimmage on Sunday afternoon.

Junior cornerback Tyreek Chappell remains the only returning starter from last season as both Jaylon Jones, Antonio Johnson, and Myles Jones have departed, North Carolina transfer Tony Grimes and Florida State transfer Sam McCall and Boston College transfer Josh DeBerry enter the program with proven experience, yet the play of freshman cornerback Jayvon Thomas that has reportedly stood out at a consistent rate.

As we say in the industry, the “drum beat” has continued for Thomas, as GigEm247 beat writer Carter Karels notes that the former four-star prospect split first-team reps with Josh DeBerry during Sunday’s open practice. He looks every bit the part from an athleticism point of view.

Monday’s sixth and final practice of fall camp will hopefully answer more questions regarding several position competitions, but outside of the quarterback battle between Conner Weigman and Max Johnson, Jayvon Thomas’s ascendence in the secondary is something none of us saw coming (except for Carter, of course).

According to 247Sports, Thomas, who starred at South Oak Cliff (TX), was positioned as the 15th-ranked cornerback in the 2023 class and the 29th-ranked player in Texas, helping lead his squad to a second consecutive Football State Championship in 2022.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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Texas A&M Aggies cornerback unit shows promise, but questions still remain following spring football

Plenty of questions surrounded the Aggies cornerback group heading into spring. But with a key transfer addition, is there clarity with the 2023 season just months away?

Heading into their spring football program there were plenty of questions surrounding Texas A&M‘s cornerback unit, following a handful of key departures. But now with the Aggies’ Maroon and White game in the books and the transfer portal nearly closing, did the unit provide some clarity heading into next season?

Let’s quickly recap how much of an overhaul this unit has dealt with since the close of the 2022 season. First off, the Maroon and White lost five corners to either the NCAA transfer portal or via the NFL Draft heading into the spring. To remedy those losses, the Aggies added Tony Grimes from North Carolina and Sam McCall from Florida State, along with early enrollee Jayvon Thomas.

The aforementioned three joined the reliable Tyreek Chapell, who appeared in 11 games for A&M last season and recorded 44 tackles (31 solo) with eight pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Still, those additions alone couldn’t soften the blow of losing reliable talents like Antonio Johnson and Jaylon Jones. More reinforcements would have to be on the way, and the fact that many of the new faces were sidelined through spring football only heightens the ambiguity at the position.

Chappell, Grimes, and Thomas all missed large parts of the Aggies’ spring football program, and all three, coincidentally, missed the spring game as well. From what has been observed in practice, Chappell remains the best cover option due to his physicality and refined form in tracking the ball. Grimes has quick feet and a nice recovery speed that should help in defending against wideouts over the top, while McCall possesses even better speed and length.

Yet the biggest x-factor could be the addition of Boston College transfer Josh DeBerry, who committed to the Aggies back on April 18. The former Eagle saw playing time as both a slot corner (286 snaps) as well as on the outside (364) according to PFF, although he graded better at the nickel position during the 2021 season versus last year.

DeBerry’s veteran experience and ability to slide into the slot could prove huge dividends for a backend unit that, while not inexperienced based on age, still boasts a handful of unknowns given the new faces on the roster.

Additionally, there remains an opportunity for some of the younger talents to see playing time like Class of 2022 four-star prospect Bobby Taylor, who recently opted to stay with the Aggies after removing his name from the transfer portal.

Ultimately, this backend unit has plenty of promise heading into next season, but questions still linger given the lack of time on the field through spring. At the of the day, those questions will only be answered once the 2023 season officially kicks off, which makes it a reality that the Aggies will have to swallow for now.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee

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Texas A&M Spring Football 2023: Cornerback position breakdown

As spring football for the Aggies nears its end, we assess the current state of the cornerback unit which spotlights as a big question mark for the Maroon and White.

Spring football for Texas A&M is well underway, which means it’s every fan’s obligation to parse through the depth chart ahead of what will be an important 2023 season. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered by breaking down each positional battle, and up next is taking a look at what arguably is a big question mark for the Maroon and White in their cornerback unit.

It’s amazing how quickly the narrative can change over the course of 12 months. A season ago the Aggies boasted a unit of loaded talent on the backend, and that belief translated into production on the field. A&M finished the 2022 season allowing the fewest passing yards per game (156.2) through the air in the FBS.

Now that once highly-lauded unit is arguably one of, if not, the biggest question mark for Jimbo Fisher and this football program as spring football nears its end.

The departure of Jaylon Jones to the NFL certainly stings, and an inconvenient timing of injuries means that valuable snaps could be given to the newcomers and transfers to College Station. Unless some big moves are taken, it could spell early-season trouble for the Maroon and White.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the current cornerback group is shaping up for the Aggies:

Returners (2022 season stats)

  • Junior Tyreek Chappell (11 games, 44 total tackles, 8 pass breakups)
  • Redshirt sophomore Deuce Harmon (4 games, 9 total tackles)
  • Sophomore Bryce Anderson (11 games, 28 total tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble)
  • Sophomore Jarred Kerr (11 games, 22 total tackles, 2 pass breakups)

Departures

  • Junior Jaylon Jones (declared for the 2023 NFL Draft)

New additions

  • Transfer senior Tony Grimes
  • Transfer sophomore Sam McCall
  • Freshman Jayvon Thomas
  • Freshman Bravion Rogers

With Chappell and Thomas not being on the field since the start of spring training, and with Harmon rehabbing from ankle surgery, the Aggies are greatly lacking experienced players at the cornerback position. That spells trouble heading into next season, and if the injury bug continues to persist, then that would mean defensive coordinator DJ Durkin would be handing the starting reigns over to the likes of transfers Tony Grimes and Sam McCall.

To put it gently, that’s very much less than ideal for an Aggies team heading into a significant 2023 season. Jimbo Fisher would be wise to explore every avenue possible when the transfer portal reopens in May, and offering former Boston College corner Josh DeBerry only illustrates how this position group is likely top of mind for Fisher.

It’s not a stretch to claim that the state of the cornerback room today makes it the most uncertain positional group for the Maroon and White. Thankfully there’s still some time ahead of the fall season, and the Aggies will likely need a combination of good health and transfer portal additions to bring some added assurance to this unit.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee

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A comprehensive look at some of Oklahoma Football’s recent offers

Oklahoma has been busy on the recruiting trail. Here’s a look at some of the recent offers OU has sent out to 2023 and 2024 prospects.

National Signing Day is swiftly approaching on Feb. 2 and that means the 2022 class is just about finished.

With that date within shouting distance, it’s time for Oklahoma to turn its collective attention to the 2023 and 2024 recruiting classes.

OU has been busy sending out offers and looking to establish momentum in both of their upcoming classes. Here’s a look at some of the names the Sooners have offered recently.

Oklahoma Sooners re-offers class of 2023 DB Jayvon Thomas

With a new coaching staff in place, the Sooners re-offered class of 2023, four-star defensive back Jayvon Thomas.

There’s plenty happening for Oklahoma with potential transfer portal additions and OU welcomed some 2022 recruits this weekend as well.

The Sooners’ coaching staff hasn’t forgotten about the 2023 class either, though.

Oklahoma extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman Kelby Collins. Four-star defensive back Jayvon Thomas said he has been re-offered by OU, too.

Thomas tagged a pair of Oklahoma coaches in his tweet, safeties coach Brandon Hall and cornerbacks coach Jay Valai. According to 247Sports’ timeline, the Sooners were one of the first schools to offer Thomas.

OU offered Thomas in March of 2021. Of course, that was with a different head coach and defensive coaching staff.

The South Oak Cliff High School standout in Dallas, Texas, is a consensus four-star defensive back. ESPN ranks Thomas No. 85 player overall in its class of 2023 player rankings and the No. 7 athlete.

247Sports ranks the 5-foot-11, 170-pound recruit as the No. 113 player nationally and the No. 12 cornerback. On3 places Thomas No. 124 nationally and No. 14 among cornerbacks. Rivals rates Thomas as the No. 36 cornerback.

In the On3 consensus rankings, Thomas is No. 119 nationally and the 14th-best cornerback. 247Sports’ composite rankings has Thomas No. 133 nationally and the country’s No. 11 cornerback.

Jayvon Thomas’ Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247Sports 4 113 23 12
Rivals 4 N/A 63 36
ESPN 4 85 15 7
247 Composite 4 133 25 11
On3 Recruiting 4 124 19 14
On3 Composite 4 119 22 14

The Sooners are starting fresh in Thomas’ recruitment as Hall and Valai hadn’t offered Thomas while at Troy and Alabama, respectively. Oklahoma can sell Thomas on proximity to Dallas, playing at the Cotton Bowl and the opportunity to play in the SEC.

Currently, the Sooners have a pair of commitments from four-star wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. and three-star interior offensive lineman Joshua Bates in the 2023 class.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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