Counting down Texas A&M's 50 best players for 2025: 40-31 contain contributors, contenders, and future studs
The depth on Texas A&M's roster is better this season than it has been in quite some time. Last week, we began a countdown of the top 50 players on the roster, going from the 50th best to the 41st, which you can find here.
Now, we keep on with that countdown, going from 40 to 31. There are several breakout contenders and future studs on this portion of the list, as well as players who will be solid contributors as soon as this year. Let's dive in.
40: Miles O'Neill, QB
The race for backup quarterback is one of the more intriguing storylines of camp, but I think no matter what happens, the talent that O'Neill brings to the table will eventually shine through. Zeno's experience is a big deal, but I see O'Neill being a real contender for QB1 after Reed departs.
39: Daymion Sanford, LB
Sanford is the kind of guy who can all of a sudden make a huge impact if things fall right. He came out of high school as an athletic freak linebacker who was still raw at the position. I see him stepping up here soon— maybe this year, maybe next— as sort of a late-bloomer, Buddy Johnson or Aaron Hansford type.
38: Myles Davis, S
Smoke keeps coming up about Davis as a dark-horse contender for a safety spot. He recorded a notable highlight in the McNeese game with a heavy hit, and the safeties aren't exactly untouchable on this roster right now, so he could work into the rotation pretty easily.
37: Rueben Fatheree, OT
Fatheree started his freshman year, but has not exactly had a steady upward trend since then. Addazio did quite a number here in a bad way, and though Fatheree's potential still remains pretty high, he needs to take some steps to realize it.
36: Nate Boerkircher, TE
Maybe the best dual-threat tight end on the roster, Boerkircher could see a fair amount of playing time for that fact alone. The Aggies need to get more players of this archetype on their roster, and there's a real chance that Boerkircher breaks out this year.
35: Amari Niblack, TE
Niblack is not a big time threat when it comes to blocking, but his receiving ability is hard to deny. His ceiling is pretty well-defined unless he takes huge strides in the former area, but he could still be a guy making some pretty big catches for Texas A&M.
34: Dametrious Crownover, OT
Crownover has really blossomed since he arrived at A&M as a hybrid TE/OT prospect with a low three-star ranking. A true developmental project that has worked out quite well for the Aggies, he could end up as an NFL draft pick when all is said and done.
33: Dayon Hayes, DL
Hayes was a monster when at Pitt, but an injury at Colorado hampered his ability to contribute last year. If he can regain some of the form he had when in the ACC, it will be a massive deal for this Texas A&M defensive line.
32: Marco Jones, DL
Jones is only this low because you have to bet that his inexperience will be something of a factor. His potential combined with the hype he's been getting, though, could see him jump to the top ten on this list by this season's end— that's how good he could be.
31: Jordan Shaw, DB
A nickel defender from Washington, Shaw will look to crack the rotation at a position that struggled overall last year for the Aggies. Hopefully, his addition will help shore up that spot and make the Aggie defense a threatening unit in the secondary once more.