Fear not, Aggie fans, meaningful college football is just around the corner, with the start of the 2023 season under two weeks away! Here at Aggies Wire, we’ll be counting down by looking at each Texas A&M football player that corresponds to the number of days left till the start of the football season.
With 10 days until kickoff, we’re looking at No. 10 for the Maroon and White: junior defensive lineman Fadil Diggs.
Diggs is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he was arguably the Aggies’ best pass rusher, despite being limited to eight contests. The junior tallied five sacks and three tackles for loss alongside a 68.7 overall defense grade per Pro Football Focus. Prior to his shortened 2022 season, he played in all 12 games the year prior, though six came as a backup. He ended 2021 with five pressures and six tackles per PFF on 142 snaps.
The junior possesses a nice first step off the line for someone with his length, and he’s proven effective at chasing down plays or getting deep into the backfield. He’s also proven adept at keeping blockers at bay due to his hand-eye coordination.
Diggs appeared to reclaim his starting role in the spring and appeared relatively removed from his injury during the Maroon and White game. He only logged one stop in the exhibition, but coming into the new season healthy is a significant milestone.
Looking ahead to 2023 Diggs will be tasked with taking charge on the pass rush front. The junior made tremendous strides as a playmaker toward the end of his 2022 season, but he’ll need to free himself a bit more to open up opportunities. That hinges on Diggs using his hands and other moves in his arsenal to help shed and escape opposing linemen. Based on what we’ve seen throughout spring and fall camp, the junior is on a strong trajectory toward reaching that goal.
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