Tag: Rylan Kennedy

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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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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3 Stars from Texas A&M’s 33-20 win over the Florida Gators

Here are the three players that helped Texas A&M earn a critical win against the Florida Gators

Texas A&M earned what could end up being a season-defining win over the Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon, as backup quarterback Marcel Reed entered one of the most challenging environments in College Football with complete poise in his first career start.

As starting quarterback Conner Weigman watched from the sideline due to his shoulder injury, the redshirt freshman was efficient from the pocket and impressive on the ground, proving that he is the most dynamic signal caller on the roster until Weigman is fully healthy.

Here are the three players that stood out during Saturday’s critical victory:

DE Rylan Kennedy

While the bigger names on Texas A&M’s defensive line received the usual credit, including Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton, the consistent play of defensive end Rylan Kennedy, one of the rising stars on the Aggie defense, made the most of his snaps.

Recording three tackles on the day, the sophomore earned a 78.0 defensive grade (the highest on the team) and a 73.5 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus. Kennedy’s length, strength, and athleticism make him one of the ascending defensive stars among a stacked defensive line.

QB Marcel Reed

What more can be said about the redshirt freshman? Marcel Reed learned that he would make his first career start during the team’s pre-kickoff warm-ups, coming into the game with the mindset of a seasoned veteran. Reed stuck to the game plan OC Collin Klein provided him from start to finish, making his check-downs when needed while using his legs to move the chains efficiently.

Would a healthy Conner Weigman have won this game? I believe so, but after watching Reed in Klein’s scheme, I realize he looks like a better fit. At the end of the day, that’s up to head coach Mike Elko.

Texas A&M’s offensive line 

It’s not just one player along Texas A&M’s offensive line that deserves single credit, and while I could also single out running backs Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, the O-line paved the way for both backs to lead the Aggie rushing attack.

Ranging from left tackle Trey Zuhn to backup center TJ Shanahan, the offensive line completely controlled the line of scrimmage while pushing Florida’s large defensive line off the ball to open up running lanes. It looked like A&M’s 2020 O-line, which led the team to nine wins.

If this type of play and mindset can keep up heading into the thick of SEC play, Texas A&M’s offense has a chance to live up to its preseason expectations.

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 PFF grades after the Aggies’ 33-20 win over Florida

Here are the PFF scores for several Aggies after Texas A&M’s 33-20 win over Florida

Texas A&M’s 2024 season took a wild turn on week 3, as the Aggies entered their critical SEC road matchup against the Florida Gators without starting quarterback Conner Weigman, who sustained a shoulder injury early in the season, and was a late scratch just minutes before kickoff.

This led to redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed making his first career start after playing the entire second half of the Aggies’ 52-10 win over McNeese State. Looking poised as ever, the young duel threat dazzled Aggie fans and media members alike after accounting for three touchdowns, including 84 yards rushing and a score, leading the Aggies to a resounding 33-20 victory.

However, it was the Aggie running game and elite blocking up front that made the difference, as Reed contributed 310 rushing yards, while junior running back Le’Veon Moss contributed 110 yards of his own.

On Sunday, Pro Football Focus released its latest player ratings, starting with Marcel Reed, who earned an 86.6 offensive grade when blitzed, good for sixth among quarterbacks over the weekend. The redshirt freshman also recorded a 191.5 passing efficiency rating, one of the best of the weekend.

Along the offensive line, starting left tackle Trey Zuhn III earned an 87.6 pass protection grade, ranked fifth in the country. He didn’t allow one pressure in 79 snaps.

On defense, GigEm247’s Carter Karels points out that, outside of defensive ends Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart’s impressive outings, defensive end Rylan Kennedy was also impressive. The sophomore earned a 78.0 defensive grade and a 73.5 run defense grade against the Gators.

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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‘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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The rest of the 2023 class, including 5-star DT David Hicks Jr. have made it College Station

As of Monday, several high-profile members of the 2023 recruiting class have made it to College Station.

We are nearly three months away from the start of the 2023 season, and to add a little more excitement to what we in the sports writing world call the “summer lull,” the rest of Texas A&M’s roster, including several key members of the 2023 recruiting class has made it to campus as of Monday, May 29.

Headlining this group is five-star defensive tackle David Hicks Jr., who recently competed in the UIL Track & Field Championship, earning a bronze medal in the discus event with a recorded throw of 182′-6″. As an incoming member of one of the most talented and deepest defensive line units in the country, Hicks, who is reportedly up to 280 pounds, provides versatility also to see time at the defensive end spot and will undoubtedly compete for snaps as soon as fall camp arrives.

The rest of the list in the 2023 cycle includes the following players:

  • Four-star Quarterback Marcel Reed (2,198 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 944 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns in 2022)
  • Four-star defensive end Rylan Kennedy (61 tackles, 10 TFL, five sacks in 2022)
  • Four-star cornerback Bravion Rogers (24 tackles, 2 INT, 1 PBU in 2022)
  • Four-star Athlete Dalton Brooks (120 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 INT, 1 FB in 2022)
  • Three-star OT Naquil Betrand
  • Three-star Linebacker Chantz Johnson (70 tackles, 10 TFL, two sacks)
  • Three-star defensive tackle Samu Taumanupepe (60 tackles, 6 TFL)
  • Three-star Punter Tyler White (42.3 yards per punt with a long of 62 yards, 79-81 on PATs, 10-12 FG as a kicker in 2022)

Outside of the arriving 2023 class members, several transfer portal additions, including former Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry (50 tackles in 2022) and offensive lineman Finn Dirstine, former Jackson State linebacker Jurriente Davis (39 tackles in 2022), former Rice fullback Jerry Johnson, former Fresno State quarterback Jaylen Henderson, and former Colorado State running back David Bailey (20 carries for 61 yards in 2022) have also made their way to campus.

Last but not least, one of the more intriguing transfer portal addition is former Grand Valley State wide receiver Jahdae Walker, who, at 6-4 provides immediate depth to what is already a lethal starting WR unit, yet depth has been an issue, providing Walker a chance to work his way into the rotation this Fall.

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