Texas A&M football LB ranked best in Texas over highly-touted Longhorn flip

Star LB for Texas A&M football ranked as best in the state of Texas, edging out former Aggie commit who flipped to Texas

Of all the diamonds in the rough that Texas A&M football has found when bringing in lower-rated prospects during the Jimbo Fisher era, there are two that stand out. They are the now-departed WR/RB/do-it-all player Ainias Smith and current sophomore LB Taurean York.

Yet, the Aggies almost didn’t land York. For much of the 2023 cycle, Texas A&M football held a commitment from five-star Denton Ryan prospect Anthony Hill, and along with the high-ceiling Daymion Sanford from Katy Paetow, the Ags were content with their linebacker class.

Of course, since Hill was so highly rated—and for good reason—the Longhorns, among other programs, stayed hard after him on the trail. In the midst of a disastrous 2022 season for Texas A&M football on and off the field, the coaching staff in Austin convinced Hill to back off his commitment—a huge blow at the time.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though the Aggies could bring Hill back into the fold. As early signing day approached, however, he ended up going with the Horns, and the Aggies were forced to look elsewhere to fill out the position.

It was then that their attention landed on the three-star Baylor commit and four-time district all-defense selection Taurean York. He was not a highly rated guy by any means, mostly due to his smaller frame, but he could play the game with the best of them.

After their offer went out, it didn’t take long for York to make his decision. He bade the Bears goodbye and donned the Maroon and White, signing with the Aggies in December 2022.

Since then, York has become a fan favorite. That’s not only for his underdog story, however: he has actually been a revelation on the field. So much so that Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has selected him as the best in the position in the state for the upcoming year… ahead of Anthony Hill. 

It’s funny how things happen sometimes, isn’t it?

It’s hard to deny that Hill is more naturally gifted than York. It’s easy to see why one guy was a five-star and the other one wasn’t. But York is in a class above—not only Hill, but nearly every player in the country—when it comes to his work ethic, both on and off the field. He’s one of those players who studies film so diligently that he ends up knowing the offense he’s facing better than the players running it do!

Congrats to York on this honor. I have no doubt that he will make a huge impression on this new coaching staff during spring ball.