Texas A&M Football: Why 5-star freshman is a breakout candidate in 2022

The Texas A&M football team will see more turnover in 2022 than they did a year prior, starting at a few key offensive positions. Those positions include quarterback, runningback, and tight end, and sprinkled around the wide receiver position.

Generally speaking, however, the Aggies won’t have any struggles at the wide receiver spot. This can be attributed to the fact that A&M has arguably more talent in their wide receiver room than any school in the nation with three former five-star prospects on the roster and five former four-stars.

But who will step up in this unit? The answer isn’t as obvious as you may think — the leading returning receiver is Ainias Smith, who pulled in 509 yards through the air last season. The next closest receiver barely cracked 250 yards. But one player may have a bigger opportunity than expected right out of the gate.

One of Texas A&M football’s five-star freshmen could quietly have a breakout season

When you’re looking for a breakout wide receiver on the Texas A&M football team, there are a few obvious choices. As previously mentioned, Ainias Smith will likely lead the charge statistically, as he is the most proven player remaining on this unit.

That said, there are a handful of players who could make a big impact for the first time.

One name that came to mind is that of Demond Demas, who has been slow to develop, catching 15 balls for 235 yards and a touchdown in 2021. Another is Evan Stewart, who will be coming in as a top ten overall prospect in the 2022 class. Heck, even Caleb Chapman could finally have a breakout season after struggling with injuries consistently.

The player who could really stand to make a difference in 2022, however, is Chris Marshall, an incoming five-star wide receiver from Missouri City, Texas.

Marshall is a big-bodied receiver at 6’3″ who plays as a true red zone threat, something the Aggies will be missing out on with the departure of Jalen Wydermyer for the NFL Draft. As a relatively lean player who is not enrolled early, it may take time for Marshall to find an opportunity. That said, he could benefit from a wide receiver spot that has not seen anybody step up as a red zone threat in years.

Marshall was also a high-level basketball recruit, showing true athleticism in two sports at the high school level. What might not initially catch your eye is his top-end speed — something that was on display in his final season of high school football.

If Demond Demas and Caleb Chapman both fail to break out in 2022, keep your eyes on Marshall, who will be waiting in the shadows for an opportunity.