The Texas A&M Football team isn’t replacing nearly as much talent on the defensive end as they are on the offensive end. That said, they’ll still have some holes to fill. And without key players like Buddy Johnson and Bobby Brown III, this unit will be looking for new faces to step up.
If you haven’t already, give our offensive breakout candidates article a read after this — there are quite a few more question marks on that side of the ball.
For now, we’ll focus on the defense. This is a defensive unit that had arguably the best defense in the SEC in 2020. But that was just the start. This Texas A&M Football team will be looking to build off of the success they had last year.
The 2020 season was good, but Jimbo Fisher and company are shooting for at least one national title in College Station. Anything less than that would be considered a disappointing tenure. That said, this staff may have what it takes to get that done in 2021.
The Texas A&M Football team’s defense will be the backbone of any title hopes
And that starts with the defense. Last season, the Aggies led the SEC in total defense but trailed a couple of teams in other important categories such as opposing points per game, touchdowns allowed, and turnovers created.
If they want to win with a freshman quarterback and a rebuilt offensive line, they’ll have to have the best defense in the league with no questions asked. It’s doable, but a few players will have to step up to make that happen.
Here are 3 defensive breakout candidates for the Texas A&M Football team in 2021.
Texas A&M Football senior Jayden Peevy will finally be in the spotlight
Once again, I will be giving you all a bonus candidate. As you are probably thinking that Jayden Peevy isn’t a player who can breakout. He’s been a key contributor for years, so he doesn’t really fit on this list. That said, he can still have somewhat of a breakout year in 2021.
Peevy has been a pretty significant contributor on this defensive line for a while, having recorded 94 tackles in his career with the Aggies. In each of his seasons, he has recorded at least one sack, but never more than a sack and a half. His numbers have been extremely modest.
I think that could change in 2021. After being considered a sidekick to some other players on this defense for a while, he may have an opportunity to step into the spotlight for the Aggies.
The defensive line will be looking for a replacement at defensive tackle with Bobby Brown III departing to the NFL. That said, other players will have to step up. Peevy can and will be one of those players.
The promising thing about Peevy is that he has improved in each season with the Aggies. Now that he has been granted an extra year of eligibility, he can take a step forward that was never supposed to happen.
Expect his numbers to skyrocket and for Peevy to be one of the names being talked about in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’ll be one of the most well-rounded defensive linemen options and teams will jump on the opportunity to pick him up.
McKinnley Jackson will fill a huge gap on the Texas A&M Football roster
As previously mentioned, the Aggies will be losing Bobby Brown III to the 2021 NFL Draft. Technically, he could have come back, but after the season that he had in 2020, the chances of his return were slim to none.
The offseason between last season and the coming season will be filled with curiosity as to who can fill in that spot. In all likelihood, the man who will be filling the gap left by Brown and filling gaps on the field will be McKinnley Jackson, the former 4-star tackle who was ranked in the top 70 of his class.
Jackson didn’t play a ton in 2020, but when he did, he was extremely promising. With very limited playing time, he recorded 13 total tackles, two for loss, and a sack and a half. He was a burst of energy out on the field, even among an experienced defensive unit. He also deflected two passes, filling the stat sheet as much as possible.
If there’s a player who is ready to step into this role, it’s Jackson. Texas A&M Football fans should feel good about their replacement, who has a higher ceiling than Bobby Brown III did.
Jackson could be the first piece of the puzzle in improving upon a defense that was already among the best in the country.
The Texas A&M Football team will look to DeMarvin Leal for energy on the edge
That’s right — another defensive lineman. I won’t ramble on about Bobby Brown III’s departure any longer, so don’t worry about that. That said, DeMarvin Leal is another one of the guys that can help patch up the wound left on this defense with Brown’s departure.
Leal is one of the most exciting players on this roster from a talent perspective. He was one of Jimbo Fisher’s earliest recruits and remains one of the best signings Fisher has made since being the head coach of the Aggies.
Leal came in as the 16th-best player overall in his class. He was a 5-star recruit and one of the most naturally gifted players that has ever walked onto College Station’s campus. He’s got the stuff that can’t be taught.
Thus far, he hasn’t had much of an opportunity to be “the guy” for this Texas A&M Football team. He’ll step into that role in 2021.
Leal has been a tackling machine for the Aggies thus far. In two years, he has recorded 75 tackles, 7 for loss, 4.5 sacks, an interception, 3 pass deflections, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Sheesh.
Leal has already found more success than any other player listed but he’s just getting started. If there’s a player on this team with top-5 NFL Draft potential, it’s Leal. Expect a huge year out of this guy, as he could be the key to this defense.
Jaylon Jones is set to hold down Texas A&M Football’s secondary
The last slide of the article and we’re finally breaking away from the defensive line. In all honesty, that’s just a sign of how good this team could be in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball. But there is still a lot of optimism in the secondary, and it starts with Jaylon Jones.
Jaylon Jones is everything a coach could ask for in a young defensive back. He’s extremely athletic, a willing tackler, and a player who wants to learn about the game. Jones was another 5-star high school recruit who has been electric thus far.
In year one, he was a strong cornerback in the toughest conference in college football, holding his own at the highest level. The degree of difficulty behind the season he had in 2020 should not go unnoticed, as it can be very difficult to find success in the SEC as a freshman cornerback.
In his second year with the Aggies, he’ll only continue to improve as he steps into an elevated role. He has the physical capabilities that you look for in a cornerback, it’s just a matter of how smart he can play.
He should have a breakout year in 2021. If he doesn’t, he will in 2022. He’s the type of player that you know has the potential to be a star, it’s just a matter of the when and the where. Expect him to progress into a lockdown corner sometime in the near future.