Texas A&M football spring position preview: Offensive tackle could be big strength

Texas A&M football spring position preview: Intrigue and hope at offensive tackle

Despite Addazio's best efforts, the offensive tackle position wasn't actually half-bad in 2023 for Texas A&M football. It was far improved when compared to 2022—and also when compared to the change from 2022 to 2023 in the interior of the line.

Now, it should be said, a lot of that has to do with the fact that Trey Zuhn was able to play healthy for the whole year—he apparently played through injury in 2022—as well as Chase Bisontis joining the squad. Bisontis was pretty feast-or-famine for the Aggies, as you might expect from a very physically talented freshman, but I think there was more good than bad there.

As things stand though, if I were to make a prediction, I think we see Bisontis slide inside this fall. That leaves Zuhn and... who?

Who starts at offensive tackle for Texas A&M football in 2024?

Well, let's start with who I think it won't be, but names that are exciting nonetheless. Blake Ivy, the big tackle out of Houston, will one day be a huge player for Texas A&M football—literally and figuratively—but as a true freshman, I'm not sure he can crack the rotation.

Another exciting name is Ashton Funk. Though he wasn't rated very highly across the board by the recruiting services, I think he was one of the most underrated pickups the Aggies landed. He never wavered through the coaching change, but it was still a big deal to get him in the fold due to his giftedness at the position.

Hunter Erb and Colton Thomasson could both play either inside or outside, but I think both need a little more development before we see either start. Another pair of high-potential guys, but I think we see one of them step into the hole left by Zuhn when he eventually leaves.

That leaves two big names: Rueben "Deuce" Fatheree II and Dametrious Crownover. Crownover, the brother of now-departed fullback Earnest, was a developmental take back from the 2021 class who has begun to develop into a fully-fledged SEC tackle over his time in College Station. His skillset is impressive, as is his size, but the question will be whether his technique is sufficiently advanced by this point.

A guy with more experience and fewer questions is Fatheree. After a stellar freshman campaign, he struggled in 2022 before missing all of 2023 with an injury. Now, with a clean bill of health, can he return to his freshman form?

If I had to predict, I'd go with Fatheree here. Crownover more easily slots inside anyway, but even if he doesn't, I think Fatheree has a higher ceiling at the position. New coaching should benefit him greatly, and I think we see Deuce improve by leaps and bounds over his 2022 performance.

Even if that doesn't happen, though, this is the deepest this room has been in quite some time. I can't remember the last time I felt this good about the position for the Aggies—probably when there were still all those Mike Sherman recruits laying around.