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Texas A&M Football: 4 Aggies who could be 1st-round NFL draft picks

By Cahil Murchison

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

Why Nick?

Starkel missed a solid chunk of last season due to an ankle injury sustained in the dreaded UCLA debacle. Had he stayed in the game, it’s fair to say that the Aggies would have held on to that slippery win they managed to let escape from their grasp.

Upon Starkel’s return, he showed that he has the capability to be a legitimate quarterback, but never put it in the next gear and ran away with the starting job until Wake Forest. I’m not going to blame him, though. After reading the article in which Jake Hubenak detailed the disturbing lack of communication that Kevin Sumlin had back in 2015, plus the entire team’s situation as a whole, there’s no telling what Starkel was going through.

Now that the Aggies have a clean slate with Jimbo, there should be a resurgence in confidence and performance. The quicker Starkel becomes comfortable with the new system, the better. Nick has all the positive pieces of Winston and a plethora of targets to choose from. He’s got help in the backfield and one heck of a defense to relive him of pressure. Once he learns the new playbook, we’ll see the Starkel “Sparkle” that I know he can bring.

After a year in the system, he’ll be keeping almost all of his offensive weapons. That comradery and chemistry they’ll have built up will propel Starkel’s performance to be one of the best quarterbacks in 2019-2020. So that leaves the question of…

Who could draft him?

There are a lot of aging and already old quarterbacks in the NFL. However, there are three teams who I think will consider using their first-round choice on Nick.

  • The Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco is one of those quarterbacks getting a little long in the tooth. He’s someone who could help coach up a budding star to help carry the Ravens in a rough and tough division.

  • The Green Bay Packers

Brett Hundley may be Aaron Rodgers‘ number two at the moment, but he doesn’t strike me as a long-term fit. I think the Pack makes a move to get another 6’2” quarterback from a warm and sunny state.

  • The New Orleans Saints

If the reliable Drew Brees can hang on one more year after the upcoming one, then the Saints will be a great landing spot for Starkel. They already have former Aggie cornerback, De’vante Harris so maybe another Aggie won’t be out of the question.