Texas A&M landed its sixth commitment in the 2024 recruiting class in the form of four-star safety Jordan Pride out of Florida, but what should fans expect when he eventually takes the field for the Aggies?
As one of the highest-rated players in his class, Pride is listed at nearly 6-2 and 175 lbs, and he’s an experienced multi-sport athlete in playing basketball, baseball, and track and field. He’s just the latest Maroon and White addition with playing experience beyond the gridiron, joining former Aggie Devon Achane and current center Bryce Foster.
After running a personal-best 11.01 100-meter dash and a 5-9.75 high jump in high school, it’s safe to say that the future Aggie will bring a nice blend of speed and athleticism to an A&M secondary that lost a handful of key cornerstones via the draft.
Among those losses is safety Antonio Johnson, who interestingly enough, possesses tangibles that closely resemble that of Pride. Johnson is 6-2, 198 lbs, and was a vital component of a Texas A&M secondary that allowed just 162.1 passing YPG last season (second in the country). With a coverage grade of 79.7 and a tackling grade of 70.7 per PFF, Johnson leaves some big shoes to fill.
But could his heir apparent be on the horizon in the Aggies’ newest commit?
Here’s what 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins, Director of Scouting, had to say about the Class of 2024 prospect:
“Spent a few months at IMG Academy and got varsity snaps with the Ascenders before electing to return back home. While at the national powerhouse flashed some range on the backend and was able to use his longer reach to eliminate throwing windows. Quick to read and diagnose. Understands how to play angles and has the footspeed to close most gaps. Face-up tackler that can wrangle larger players to the ground, but could always get a little more aggressive at the point of attack, especially if he wants to live in the box. Has the makeup of a potential ace on special teams given how he runs and sifts through traffic. Overall, should be viewed as a potential impact player in the back seven for a Power Five program.”
While there’s always a learning curve when playing against SEC competition, it’s clear that Pride brings the skillset of a complete safety that should be equipped to make a play in the air or bring down an opposing player in the open field.
The Aggie faithful should be excited to see Pride on the field soon enough!
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
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5]
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd4pnb49trk727 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]