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Texas A&M football: Will 5-star DL DeMarvin Leal start in 2019?

By Jeff Shull

(Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Texas A&M football has one of the better recruiting classes in 2019, and one of those dynamic freshman could compete for a starting job right away.

Jimbo Fisher is setting the bar high for his tenure as head coach for Texas A&M football. He went 9-4 in his first season, a modest record against arguably the toughest schedule in college football. He also beat LSU and finished second in the division, neither of which Kevin Sumlin accomplished.

The Aggies’ new coach is also dominating recruiting and has them currently in the Top 3 of the 2019 class rankings according to the 247 Sports Composite. One of the prizes from the class is Judson defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal.

Leal has done nothing but shoot up the recruiting rankings in his senior season. He started as the No. 56 recruit in the composite rankings and shot all the way up to No. 16 in the latest update. This is in large part to 247 Sports’ Top 247, which now has Leal as the No. 3 overall prospect in the country.

The big question is, will Leal start as a true freshman?

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The Aggies will be looking to replace three of the four defensive lineman who started the 2018 season. Daylon Mack, Landis Durham, and Kingsley Keke were rock solid and all three could be NFL players in 2019. However, the Aggies are set up to do so.

Michael Clemons (No. 22 JUCO in 2017) sat out the entire year to injury. He and sophomore end Tyree Johnson (3-star in 2017) will likely man the end spots with Bobby Brown (4-star in 2018) getting in the rotation. Justin Madubuike started at defensive tackle and could be the best player on defense next season. T.D Moton (3-star in 2016), Jayden Peevy (4-star in 2017) each found their way into the defensive line rotation in 2018 and figure to compete for the nose tackle spot vacated by Mack.

Leal will have to compete with these experienced players to earn a starting job. However, you simply cannot count out a player of Leal’s talent. He manhandled the high school competition at the Under Armour All America game.

He played defensive end and defensive tackle in high school, but where he plays for the Aggies is currently anyone’s guess. At this point it could just be about getting him on the field with the best players around him, regardless where he lines up.

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Fisher was able to keep Leal in the fold for all of the 2018 season and he enrolled in January. Getting that head start should give him plenty of time to prove he’s worthy of a starting position. I, for one, cannot wait to see him compete.

Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.