Fear not, ladies and gentlemen, meaningful college football is just around the corner, with the start of the 2023 season under two months 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 40 days until the start of the season, we’re looking at No. 40 for the Maroon and White: sophomore linebacker Martrell Harris Jr.
Harris returns for year two after appearing in all 12 games for the Aggies last season. In his debut versus Sam Houston State in the season opener last year, he recorded one tackle in Texas A&M’s 31-0 shutout victory. Against Auburn last season, he recorded two tackles, including his first career sack for a loss of six yards.
Additionally, he logged one quarterback hurry and three tackles, including one sack at home against UMass, while making one tackle in the Aggies’ upset win over No. 5 LSU in the 2022 season finale. He earned the team’s Defensive Versatility Award to cap his freshman season.
While Texas A&M’s starting linebackers appear set with Edgerrin Cooper and Chris Russell Jr., depth remains a question mark behind them. Jackson State transfer Jurriente Davis provides a nice jolt of depth, but from there on out, it’s relatively thin. The Aggies landed Taurean York, their highest linebacker recruits in the 2023 class, but as a true freshman comes inexperience and some likely growing pains.
That’s where Harris could feel his impact, no matter if he enters this season as a backup on the depth chart. If Texas A&M is truly set to improve on its 124th-ranked run defense from a season ago, it’ll take a collective effort from the starters and those behind them. Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will likely rely on Harris to keep the unit efficient from the top down. If injuries occur again, the sophomore could very well find himself elevated into a more prominent role.
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