Texas A&M Football: 5 things to watch when fall camp begins

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Who starts at the “rover” position

Fisher hired Elko away from Notre Dame to be the Aggies defensive coordinator, and it was one of the best hires of the 2018 offseason. He is one of the smartest defensive minds in college football and has been excelling with limited talent for a few years now.

He runs mostly a 4-2-5 scheme, though he would tell you he adjusts his personnel based on opponent. It features four down lineman, two linebackers, four defensive backs and a “rover” position, which is a hybrid linebacker/defensive back.

Elko took Notre Dame safety Drue Tranquill, who was benched in 2016, and inserted him as the rover in 2017. He finished the 2017 season with 85 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles.

Tyrel Dodson is the most likely candidate to play this position for Elko. He was a monster for the Aggies in 2017 and an extremely versatile player. However, given the depth at the safety position, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Donovan Wilson could step into that roll and Derrick Tucker and freshman phenom Leon O’Neal Jr. start at safety.

It will likely end up being Dodson, but watch for this to play out in camp.