While all of the focus may be on the Texas A&M Football team’s 2022 class, the Aggies have an even more impressive class full of incoming freshmen for the 2021 season. This class is ranked as 247Sports Composite’s 8th-ranked class nationally and 4th-ranked in the SEC. There are 21 enrollees excluding Shadrach Banks, who already entered the transfer portal.
This class includes 15 4-star players and a single 5-star. In total, there are seven top-150 recruits, making this one of the Aggies’ best classes all-time.
Today, I’m going to look at which three of these incoming freshmen can make the biggest immediate impact on the Texas A&M Football team in their first season.
Texas A&M Football Impact Freshman No. 1: RB LJ Johnson
Even though the Aggies seemingly already have a strong 1-2 punch in the shifty Isaiah Spiller and speedy Devon Achane, there’s no reason why a third back can’t sneak into the rotation.
Jimbo Fisher didn’t recruit high-4-star LJ Johnson for no reason, as he was the 5th-ranked ball carrier in his class and one of the most exciting prospects from 2021. Johnson possesses the playstyle of a prototypical runningback with strong lower body strength and elite lateral agility.
High school 40-yard dash times should be taken with a grain of salt, but Johnson supposedly ran a 4.42 as a sophomore. Whether or not that number is perfectly accurate, he has enough speed to generate big plays from time to time.
Perhaps most importantly, he possesses the vision and patience to be a great runningback at the SEC level. He understands the importance of non-explosive plays, which could open the door for him to become a volume ball carrier down the road.
In 2021, he won’t be getting that volume role, but in the few snaps that he may get, he should have a huge impact on the running game. Even though Achane seems like the backup right now, Johnson could sneak in and steal that spot.
Texas A&M Football Impact Freshman No. 2: DL Tunmise Adeleye
The two incoming freshmen that I’m going to be discussing on this page are actually very similar players, both playing on the defensive line. The advantage that Tunmise Adeleye has over the next player listed in Shemar Turner is four months of football in College Station.
Both players are around 6-4 and 300 pounds, but Adeleye enrolled early at Texas A&M, which could open the door for more playing time as he is adjusted to the system. The former Tompkins high school defensive lineman can play virtually anywhere, and with a hole on the inside of this D-Line, he may get some early playing time.
Texas A&M Football Impact Freshman No. 3: DL Shemar Turner
Deciding between which of these two would have more of an instant impact was nearly an impossible choice — they’ll likely both be on the field after a pair of seniors on the defensive line in Jayden Peevy and Micheal Clemons graduate.
That said, even though Shemar Turner is four months behind Adeleye, he seems like the more college-ready prospect, at least physically. Turner played his senior year, while Adeleye had to sit due to COVID-19 guidelines. Turner is also the higher-ranked prospect, with more natural athleticism than his counterpart. At some point, we’re splitting hairs here, as each of these guys will be elite defensive linemen down the road.
With a bit of turnover on the defensive line, he’ll get a few snaps. They may not be frequent, but his impact will be undeniable when he’s on the field.