The Texas A&M football season has come off to a bumpy start. 3-2 was never part of the plan, especially when the toughest team on the schedule was Arkansas.
Still, despite shortcomings for the Aggies, there are more than a handful of players who have played really solid seasons. Today, I’m going to stop dwelling on the negatives of the season and move toward the positive.
Here are grades for each star player on the Texas A&M football team so far in 2021.
Texas A&M football player grades through five games: Offense
QB Zach Calzada: I’m currently anti-Calzada slander. The quarterback lost the starting job and was thrust into the spotlight just a couple of weeks later with a banged-up offensive line. Yes, he has underperformed, but it’s hard to blame him too much.
If we were grading his nickname, the “Cuban Missile” would get an A+. Unfortunately, his play on the field hasn’t matched this nickname much. Calzada has thrown at an inefficient clip of 53.9%, tossing five passes into the endzone and throwing four interceptions. Again, he hasn’t been bad, he’s just been ineffective.
Player Grade: C-
RB Isaiah Spiller: Isaiah Spiller was one of the best returning runningbacks in 2021. Expectations were through the roof for the First-Team All-SEC runningback from a season ago, and thus far, he has fallen short of those expectations. Again, he hasn’t necessarily been bad, he just hasn’t had the blocking to match up with his talent.
In terms of making plays, he’s been even better than expected. That said, football is a numbers game and his numbers are simply okay. He has rushed for 445 yards, making just two trips to the endzone on the ground this season.
Player Grade: B+
Texas A&M football player grades through five games: Offense, continued. . .
RB Devon Achane: Because the offense has been so bad, Achane’s strong season has gone under the radar so far in 2021. The Texas A&M feature back has had a strong year, already surpassing his receiving total from last season with 118 yards through the air.
As a runner, Achane has been effective, averaging 6.9 yards per carry with 296 yards. Technically, he’s less efficient than he was a season ago, but who expected him to average 8.5 yards per carry again with a new offensive line. Achane has exceeded expectations thus far, even if he’s sitting behind Spiller on the depth chart.
Player Grade: A-
TE Jalen Wydermyer: If there’s been a player whose season could be described as “disappointing,” it would be Jalen Wydermyer’s. Again, this isn’t so much a case of the player himself having a bad year — rather, everybody surrounding him has underperformed.
On a team with a struggling offensive line-quarterback duo, Wydermyer has put up modest stats on the year. The big-bodied tight end has just 176 yards on the year and pulled in his first touchdown reception last week against Mississippi State. Many fans expected him to be able to put those types of numbers up in a single game.
Player Grade: C+
WR Ainias Smith: Ainias Smith is one of very few players on this team who may actually be benefitting from the current offensive struggles of the Texas A&M football team. Because Calzada lacks confidence and is constantly being hurried in the pocket, the Aggies have turned to more shorter passes, which works in Smith’s favor.
The runningback-turned-wide-receiver is now the team’s leading pass-catcher, with 20 receptions, 200 yards, and two touchdowns. It’s not the flashiest season, but he has been a rare piece of consistency on this team.
Player Grade: B+
Texas A&M football player grades through five games: Defense
DL DeMarvin Leal: Defensively, Aggie fans won’t have nearly as many complaints as they do on offense. The unit has been as advertised, and at the center of it all, you’ll see DeMarvin Leal, who has been as good as expected.
On the year, Leal has 4.5 sacks, which leads the team, and two pass deflections, which leads defensive linemen on the team. To go along with this, he has recorded 17 tackles on the year, six of which have come for a loss. Leal has had a really strong season and continues to steadily progress.
Player Grade: A
DL Micheal Clemons: Micheal Clemons actually missed the first game of the season with a non-football-related suspension. He returned in full force and has brought a veteran presence to a team that desperately needs it.
On the year, Clemons is second on the team in sacks with 2.5, while recording the team’s only forced fumble of the year. He hasn’t been a superstar, but any team in the country would be happy to have Clemons as part of its offensive line.
Player Grade: B+
LB Aaron Hansford: Aaron Hansford has had a strong season overall. That said, it’s hard to get the image out of my head of the veteran linebacker pushing Arkansas’ AJ Green toward the endzone when he could have made an easy tackle at the 30-yard line.
Still, it’s been an overall good year from Hansford, who has recorded 36 tackles, which is second on the team. Hansford also has two sacks and two pass deflections, proving that he can be disruptive in the passing game.
Player Grade: B+
Texas A&M football player grades through five games: Defense, continued. . .
DB Antonio Johnson: Arguably this team’s biggest surprise of the season has been the emergence of Antonio Johnson, who has been the team’s best defender (in my opinion). Johnson has been all over the field and seemingly gets in on every tackle.
This has translated to the stat sheet, where the nickel back has been lighting this season up. Johnson is leading the team in tackles with 41 on the year. He also has four pass deflections on the year, two of which came in a crucial game against Arkansas. In my opinion, this has been the Aggies’ most impactful defensive player so far in 2021.
Player Grade: A+
S Leon O’Neal: Safety Leon O’Neal had a really strong start to the year, recording two interceptions against Kent State, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Since then, the fourth-year safety has been relatively quiet in the secondary.
Still, O’Neal has been solid, recording four pass deflections and 16 tackles since his breakout Week 1 performance. We haven’t seen any more pick-sixes, but he’s bound to snag another pass from an opposing quarterback at some point this season.
Player Grade: A-
DB Tyreek Chappell: If you brought up the name Tyreek Chappell before the season, a lot of fans would answer with something like: “who?: Chappell is a player who will fight for the honor of being the biggest positive surprise of the season for the Aggies, as he is a true freshman who has made a huge impact so far in 2021.
The three-star corner is proving that stars don’t matter with stellar play on the field. He doesn’t have any interceptions yet, but with 16 tackles and four pass deflections, he’s on the right path to becoming a star player on this defense. Chappell is young and he should only continue to improve down the road. I’m giving him an A+ because of how low expectations were for him.
Player Grade: A+
I may have left a few players out, including guys like Jayden Peevy, Myles Jones, Jaylon Jones, or Caleb Chapman. That said, I tried to pick relevant players who have had a relatively injury-free season. I will update my player grades later in the year.