Even though the Texas A&M football team didn’t reach their preseason goals, the Aggies played some of the most exciting football in the country. At no point in A&M’s 8-4 regular season was it easy to turn off the TV and ignore Aggie football.
It was easy to stay tuned in because of the sheer talent on Jimbo Fisher’s 2021 roster.
Even the players that weren’t All-Americans were among the best at their positions in the country. Just look at guys like Isaiah Spiller, Devon Achane, Tyreek Chappell, Leon O’Neal, and Ainias Smith — each one could be considered one of the best in at least one category.
Still, two Texas A&M football players stand above the rest as Walter Camp All-Americans
The rest of this article will not surprise you in the slightest. Still, it’s great to see two Aggies live up to their full potential. Those two Aggies are Kenyon Green and DeMarvin Leal, both of whom were selected as Walter Camp Second-Team All-Americans.
We’ll start with Green, who earned his second consecutive All-American honor. While A&M’s offensive line as a whole distinctly regressed from a season ago, Green was a rare piece of consistency protecting Zach Calzada.
On the year, Green played at every offensive line position outside of center. In one instance, Green played at three different spots in a single game due to injuries. It’s hard to back up an offensive lineman’s performance with statistics, but Green’s dominance may not even need an argument — the eye test tells you that he’s one of the best in the country.
The other All-American was DeMarvin Leal, who is essentially the defensive version of his counterpart in Kenyon Green. While Green shifted all over the offensive line, Leal was extremely versatile and capable of shifting all over the defensive line. It wasn’t uncommon for him to play equal snaps at defensive tackle and defensive end.
On the year, Leal recorded 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 of which were sacks. The Aggie superstar recorded 58 total tackles, forcing a fumble in the process. Wherever Leal was on the defensive line, he had to be double-teamed if opposing teams wanted any chance at stopping him.
Unfortunately, Leal will not be joining the Aggies in Jacksonville, Florida for the Gator Bowl, as he will begin to prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft. Aggie fans won’t complain too much — they’ve got a pair of top-50 freshmen ready to step into Leal’s role.
A&M likely will not see another pair of versatile players like Leal and Green for a long time. Hope you enjoyed watching them play.