Tag: Marcel Reed

Does Texas A&M possess the best QB depth chart in college football for 2023?

Texas A&M will be overlooked before the start of the 2023 season but on the surface, the quarterback depth chart is highly competent

The 2023 college football season is still about five months away, but spring football has begun in College Station, Texas as the Aggies are gearing up for their first-weekend practice, with a chance to witness three signal callers that represent the present, and future at the quarterback position for the maroon and white.

Barring any offseason setbacks, sophomore Conner Weigman is set to start his first full season in Aggieland after going 2-2 in his final four starts of the 2022 season, throwing for 896 yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions while flashing nearly all of the 5-star traits that led him to become one of the most sought after prospects in the 2022 recruiting class.

Directly behind him stands senior southpaw and battle-tested Max Johnson, who started three games last season while throwing for 517 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions before suffering a season-ending hand injury in the loss to Mississippi State. To Weigman’s credit, Johnson would be the presumed starter for nearly 100 other FBS programs if he chose to transfer after last season, but as the son of Super Bowl XXXVII-winning quarterback Brad Johnson, he’ll never back down from a challenge.

Last but not least, 4-star freshman quarterback Marcel Reed out of the 2023 recruiting class may just be the third man or “emergency quarterback” on the depth chart in its early stages, but after choosing Texas A&M over Ole Miss in late December, Reed has everything it takes to develop into a starter in the SEC ranging from accuracy, touch, arm strength, and ability to extend plays with his feet. *Note, Marcel Reed is currently completing his final year of high school and is not participating in spring football.

So, throw all three young men with all the talent, experience, and potential you could ask for in a room with Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino’s offensive acumen, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a quarterback room that is sure to yield much better results in 2023.

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 QB room disrespected with C Grade by Saturday Down South

Texas A&M’s QB room receives a disrespectful C grade by Saturday Down South

The 2023 college football season will be a noisy one for Texas A&M, as the Aggies embark with heightened expectations across the board. From the belief that Jimbo Fisher could be coaching for his future to the hiring of Bobby Petrino to helm the offense, the surrounding narratives are plenty. But taking a shot at the Aggies’ quarterback room? That might be too premature.

Saturday Down South recently graded each SEC team’s current QB room and perhaps unsurprisingly, they did not hold back on their assessment of the depth under center for Texas A&M:

One outlet’s perspective is by no means the spoken word, but a quick glance at the ensuing comments highlights that the Aggies signal-callers are being easily dismissed. If the eye test isn’t enough for the critics, then the hard facts make it tough to argue against.

If the C grade was solely predicated on last season’s tape then that’s only one piece of the puzzle. Yes, the Aggies averaged 219.4 yards per game and finished the season with the third-fewest total yards (2633) and second-fewest points (22.75) per game. Inconsistency from the quarterback position played a role in their offensive struggles.

But Texas A&M could be in for one of its best years for quarterbacks after welcoming back sophomore Conner Weigman, who had a promising freshman season in five appearances for the Aggies. After being the last man standing atop the depth chart a season ago, Weigman finished off the season with 896 passing yards and eight touchdowns.

Now with Petrino at the helm as offensive coordinator, we could see a return of a high-octane offense given Weigman’s ability to move around the pocket and stretch the field while on the move.

That being said, it’s not a foregone conclusion that Weigman will be the starting quarterback in 2023. Max Johnson will return and while he was limited to four starting appearances last season, he has a leg up over Weigman in playing experience after transferring from LSU. While in Death Valley, he accumulated 3,384 passing yards and 37 touchdowns in 18 games for the Tigers.

The Aggies clearly have two capable starters atop the depth chart which bodes well for the short term. And yet also have their eyes toward the future as they welcome Marcel Reed to the roster, a four-star recruit and the No. 20 quarterback in the 2023 class. Reed played in 13 games as a senior for Nashville (Tenn.) Montgomery Bell Academy, completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,198 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also added 944 yards on the ground with 15 rushing scores.

Despite Weigman and Johnson needing to sort out the starting quarterback job, it’s clear that the Aggies QB room has the most upside it’s had in recent memory, perhaps since the days of Johnny Manziel. And the addition of newcomer Reed only paints a brighter picture for the future.

Regardless of how controversial the hiring may be, having Petrino at the helm of the offense should help give a boost to a quarterback position that has held Texas A&M back in recent memory. Not to mention that Petrino has a long track record of developing quarterbacks into draft picks.

With a proven SEC starter and a freshman All-American on the depth chart, and a promising four-star recruit on the horizon, the math doesn’t add up for the Aggies QB room to be granted a mere passing grade. But that’s what hot takes are for, to attract attention. If this unit can deliver in 2023, you can bookmark this SEC QB room breakdown to look back on for a good laugh.

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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Marcel Reed, 4-star QB flips commitment from Ole Miss to Texas A&M

The Aggies land another big-time recruit.

Chaos is the operative for the recruiting world this week as yet another blue chip quarterback has flipped his commitment. On Monday, Montgomery Bell Academy (Tenn.) Senior Marcel Reed decommitted from Ole Miss.

Hours later, Reed announced that he has committed to Texas A&M.

Reed (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) is a four-star recruit who’s ranked No. 18 at quarterback and 297 overall in the class of 2023. He had 20 other offers to choose from, including just about every other school in the SEC.

As a passer, Reed finished his Senior season with 2,198 yards, a 58.8% completion rate, 27 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 113.7 QB rate. Reed is also an exceptional rushing threat. On the ground he posted another 944 yards and 15 touchdowns on 146 carries (6.5 yards per attempt).

It’s a significant acquisition for the Aggies, who have suffered a string of decommitments in recent weeks – most notably No. 1 linebacker Anthony Hill, who’s now committed to Texas.

After adding Reed Texas A&M is now ranked No. 17 in the nation in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has fallen to No. 27.

More recruiting stories

Top-5 QB Dante Moore flips from Oregon to UCLA

No. 1 2024 QB Dylan Raiola decommits from Ohio State

Flipping season: Four impactful commitments Auburn hopes to earn

There is just over a week until the early signing period begins, and Hugh Freeze is working to sway these four players from their current commitments.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has been given the tall task to boost the Tigers’ stock in recruiting ahead of the early signing period that begins Wednesday, Dec. 21.

Auburn currently ranks No. 57 in 247Sports’ 2023 rankings. The Tigers were as high as No. 32 before the recent de-commits from three-star defensive linemen [autotag]Jamarrion Harkless[/autotag] and [autotag]Ashley Williams[/autotag].

Since taking over as Auburn’s head coach on Nov. 28, Freeze has hit the recruiting trail hard, along with his assistant coaches. Among those being pursued by Freeze are two teammates from Carver High School in Montgomery, James Smith and Qua Russaw. The pair remain uncommitted but spent plenty of time on campus during the season. Zac Etheridge has kept them close, but Freeze will need to close.

There are four targets, however, that are committed elsewhere but have a great chance to be flipped. Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports says that Auburn is working on flipping four players, including two that are current SEC pledges.

[autotag]Tony Mitchell[/autotag], a five-star safety from power Thompson High School in Alabaster, visited Auburn three times during the season and is expected to visit the Plains again this upcoming weekend. The Alabama commit tells Auburn Undercover that he loves Hugh Freeze’s energy. (Subscription required).

Another SEC commit that Auburn is trying to pursue is four-star quarterback [autotag]Marcel Reed[/autotag]. Reed, who had not appeared on Auburn’s radar until this week, will be in town for an official visit. Auburn joins [autotag]Texas A&M[/autotag] as programs trying to lure the Nashville product away from Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.

Two others that will be in town this weekend will be Michigan State commit [autotag]Colton Hood[/autotag], and Miami commit [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag]. Despite being committed elsewhere, Auburn has remained heavy in their pursuit.

PAC-12 receiver among transfers visiting the Plains this weekend

The transfer window is in its early stages, and Auburn is off to a hot start in its pursuit of reeling in portal talent.

The transfer window is in its early stages, and Auburn is off to a hot start in its pursuit of reeling in portal talent.

Hugh Freeze and staff have already welcomed former Mississippi State wide receiver, [autotag]RaRa Thomas[/autotag], to campus. Thomas was expected to visit Auburn this weekend but stopped by a day early. He is also set to visit Alabama and Georgia according to Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover.

Christian Clemente, also of Auburn Undercover, is reporting that two other members of the transfer portal are planning to visit campus this weekend. One of those is a receiver who saw significant action for the Oregon Ducks this season.

Wide receiver [autotag]Dont’e Thornton[/autotag] is among those visiting Auburn this weekend. Thornton reeled in 17 catches for 366 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks in 2022. He played in 11 games this season, catching 70.8% of passes thrown in his direction according to Pro Football Focus.

The Tigers are also set to host offensive lineman [autotag]Jordan Brown[/autotag] this weekend. Brown played for Charlotte last season, appearing in five games at left tackle for the 49ers. He played a total of 62 snaps in 2022 and received a PFF grade of 60.6.

The final known visitor of the weekend will be four-star quarterback [autotag]Marcel Reed[/autotag]. Reed is committed to Ole Miss, but Freeze has made a late push in hopes to change his mind. He visited Reed in Nashville on Wednesday and succeeded in his attempt to get him to visit campus.

The December early signing period begins on Dec. 21, and the current transfer portal window closes on Jan. 11.

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Freeze making late push for four-star quarterback

Freeze hopes to get this talented Tennessee prospect to campus this weekend.

The early signing period begins on Wednesday, Dec. 21, and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is making an 11th-hour push to land one of the nation’s best quarterbacks for the 2023 cycle.

According to a report by Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, Freeze paid a visit to Music City on Wednesday in an effort to sway [autotag]Marcel Reed[/autotag], the nation’s No. 24 quarterback from the 2023 recruiting class, from his commitment to Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.

Reed has received 20 offers but does not have one from Auburn as of this post. His only known tie to Auburn was that he attended a school camp in 2021.

Auburn is looking to add depth at the quarterback position this recruiting cycle. [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] are expected to be the only returners for next season’s squad after the departure of Zach Calzada and the uncertainty of T.J. Finley’s future with the program. Auburn has the commitment of one quarterback for the 2023 class in [autotag]Keyone Jenkins[/autotag], a three-star from Miami, Florida.

Reed, who recently won “Mr. Football” for the state of Tennessee, displays good athleticism in the pocket and is decent on his feet says 247Sports’ Cooper Petagna.

Displays good foot quickness and setup in the pocket. Active mover, demonstrates some quick twitch movement ability to extend plays within the pocket. Displays a quick release with the ability to get the ball out from a variety of angles. Shows the ability to change his arm slot with or without his feet set. Live arm, shows the ability to make every throw on the field. Plays with an accelerated play tempo. Balls either out quick or he’s fleeing the pocket to extend the play. Flashes some touch and accuracy on the deep ball. Displays some velocity and shows the ability to drive the ball down the field.

In addition to Auburn, Texas A&M is also active in trying to pull Reed away from Ole Miss. Reed visited the Aggies last weekend, and they are expected to return the favor by visiting Reed at his home in Nashville this week.

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