Dezz Ricks Could Be Texas A&M Football's Best CB In Recent Memory
For as long as I've been watching Texas A&M football—which, admittedly, hasn't been very long—the Aggies have been middling to bad at the cornerback position. There have been times here or there when the Ags have had pretty good defensive units against the pass (2022 comes to mind), but true lockdown corners who can shut down an entire side of the field have just not been in College Station recently.
The potential that Dezz Ricks brings could change that reality very soon. Ricks, who graduated high school early, spent a year at Alabama before departing following Nick Saban's retirement. Winning his signature was a huge deal for the Tide, who beat out Florida State and LSU. Ricks had been the second rated player in the 2024 class before he moved up to 2023, where he still ranked as a five-star.
He didn't see the field very much at all in his freshman year, likely due to his being young relative to the class (though he turned 19 during the season), and the fact that he had two high-profile juniors in front of him on the depth chart who were every-down players and top NFL prospects. Regardless, he was thought of as being next up for the Tide, which was why he was such a big loss for them.
Ricks brings elite speed, change of direction, measurables—everything you would want in a modern cornerback. He competed against the best in high school down at IMG Academy, and more than held his own. Andrew Ivins of 247, when evaluating Ricks, praised him effusively, but noted that he needed to progress in "anticipating/feeling out routes," but called him a "potential all-conference player at the Power Five level."
That technical aspect of the game for Ricks has doubtless already been developed to a degree under Saban, and will continue to be under the tutelage of Mike Elko, Ish Aristide, and newcomer Jordan Peterson. If Ricks is able to add that piece to his game, then he could be a cornerstone of this defense for years to come.
So, are the expectations too lofty for Ricks? He may not contribute right away. The competition in the room will be fierce. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a guy more physically gifted than he is at the position—not only on the Texas A&M football team of this year, but many years beforehand. If he develops into the player we think this coaching staff can mold him into, he really can be the best CB in recent memory for Texas A&M football.