Texas A&M Football: 5 bold predictions for 2018 season
By Jeff Shull
![Nick Starkel, Texas A&M Football (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) Nick Starkel, Texas A&M Football (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/2bf34e59ce17c393661b0602d751036ac9089e7d14ea4bba44aa631755f395fe.jpg)
8-147-2 for Jace Sternberger. Gonna be a CFF target for me. Running free here but this guy is a + athlete and they need pass catchers. pic.twitter.com/pNXmc8TRHE
— FranchiseKF (@FranchiseKF) April 14, 2018
3. Jace Sternberger will lead SEC tight ends in all receiving stats
This one isn’t even that much of a stretch, especially considering how little the tight end is used at the college level in general. But given his performance in the Spring Game, it is clear Starkel and Sternberger have already developed chemistry that will be useful in Fisher’s offense.
Sternberger was hands down the MVP of the Spring Game. He led all players in receptions, yards and touchdowns. I expect him to be a favorite target of Starkel’s and lead all SEC tight ends in all three categories.
The barometer is not very high for this to be accomplished. Hayden Hurst led the SEC with 44 catches and 559 yards in 2017. He declared for the 2018 NFL Draft. Albert Okwuegbunam was second with 415 yards and led the SEC with 11 touchdowns. He will return for his redshirt sophomore season.
Sternberger had 21 catches for 336 yards and six touchdowns in his last season at the JUCO ranks. However, his talent and usefulness in Jimbo Fisher’s offense will allow him to increase those numbers across the board, as the Spring Game showed.