Texas A&M football adds quality depth to RB room with incoming freshmen
Texas A&M football's fortunes went as their running back position did for a lot of last season. With a run-heavy scheme being implemented by Collin Klein, this makes sense, but with precious little depth on the roster at the position, it helps explain some of how the Ags tailed off last year.
Be that as it may, though, the Aggies are now coming into this year with far better depth at the position than they had previously. That's thanks to two outstanding freshman at the position that they are adding to the program— two who could make some noise early on in their careers. Let's break down the names you can expect to hear about in this spring and beyond.
Le'Veon Moss, senior
Moss's injury was the turning point of last season. The nature of football is such that early, impactful plays in a game can have cascading effects; when he went out against South Carolina, you can pinpoint several later plays in which his presence may have shifted the outcome mightily.
While his absence may not have completely shifted the late-season collapse that was, it is easy to see how his presence could have made a difference in, say, the Auburn game or the USC game. 10-3 looks a heck of a lot different than 8-5, and that gap could have been almost entirely due to losing a guy like Moss.
Long story short, Moss should be one of the best backs in the SEC this upcoming year. As a focal point of Collin Klein's offense and opposite the run threat of Marcel Reed, he could become a household name sooner rather than later.
Amari Daniels, senior
Too often the forgotten man in A&M's stable of backs, Daniels returns for a fifth year in Aggieland. His service in Moss's stead was certainly noble, but you could tell the difference between having that one-two punch and having to rely solely on Daniels.
He had his highlight moments, such as the breakout against NMSU, but his best role is in tandem with Moss. The biggest intrigue is, provided all are healthy, whether Daniels or Rueben Owens will receive more snaps headed into next year.
EJ Smith, senior
Smith didn't exactly provide a breakthrough level of play this past year, but that wasn't what was expected out of the Stanford transfer. He came in as more of an insurance option to use in a pinch, which he ended up having to do far more than Aggie fans would have liked.
He looks to fill a similar role in this upcoming year for the Aggies. After all of the injuries we've seen, though, it's good to have an option like this available.
Rueben Owens, sophomore
Owens is looking to have a huge bounce back year after missing nearly the entirety of the 2024 season with an injury suffered in fall camp. He clearly wasn't himself even in the action he did see, so Aggie fans are intrigued to see what he can provide.
The word out of last year's preseason was that Owens had improved by leaps and bounds over where he had been previously. If he can manifest that improvement, he could move up to the no. 2 option behind Moss.
Jamarion Morrow, freshman
Morrow is a do-it-all back that was a late flip from the Missouri Tigers for the Ags. And when I say do-it-all, I really mean it: he played quarterback, wide receiver, and running back for his high school squad.
That positional versatility could serve him well in his first year in Aggieland. With Collin Klein's system, that's something that is considered a premium trait, so I'll be excited to see how Morrow is deployed by the Aggies. Don't be surprised to see him get quite a bit of playing time in his freshman year.
Deondrae Riden, freshman
The other freshman isn't too shabby, either. Riden was an elite back for one of the top programs in the state of Texas (and therefore the entire country) in his time with DeSoto, breaking several records in his time there.
Now, he brings his elite talent to College Station. Can he, too, make some noise in his freshman year? Riden is probably the closest to Moss out of all of the backs on the roster, so he could spell Le'Veon some if the staff wants to keep no. 8's carries down. I'm high on his potential, just like Morrow's, and can't wait to see him in the maroon and white.