Alabama Game Week Scouting Report: Texas A&M Linebacker Aaron Hansford

BamaCentral and NFL Draft Bible team up to profile key players Alabama will face this season, who have a chance to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.

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If you don't know the story about Aaron Hansford's rise to a starting linebacker spot at Texas A&M, pull out some popcorn (sorry, couldn't resist). 

Hansford was originally recruited out of St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., where he played linebacker and receiver (mostly as an H-back), but made it clear that he wanted to play offense at the collegiate level. That's how he ended up at Texas A&M, which beat out UCLA for his signature in 2016. 

That's not a typo. Hansford is a 23-year-old graduate student. 

His first season at College Station ended after two games, and Hansford was granted a medical redshirt after suffering a season ending injury. 

He came back in 2017, caught three passes for 39 and notched four tackles on special teams, including two against Alabama. 

Hansford suffered another season-ending injury, costing him the entire season. It was during the subsequent offense that Jimbo Fisher moved him to linebacker. He played in 13 games and started against then-No. 1 LSU, and notched his first career sack against Alabama. 

With Anthony Hines III opting out of the 2020 season, Hansford moved into a starting role and finished the year second on the team with 49 tackles, behind only current Pittsburgh Steeler Buddy Johnson.

Aaron Hansford

Jersey: No. 33
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-3
Weight: 240
DOB: 2/23/98
Draft eligible: 2022
Hometown: Washington D.C.
High School: Saint John's College 

Background

Hansford was a standout athlete at St. John’s College High School. The stellar football player participated in the 2015 Under Armour All-American game as a linebacker. That same year, he was named 2015 First Team All-USA Today D.C. Hansford also ran track in high school and was a member of St. John’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The athletic recruit posted impressive testing numbers as a high school senior. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, performed the short shuttle in 4.33 seconds and had a vertical jump of just over 32 inches. 247Sports Composite Rankings listed Hansford as a four-star recruit. The same outlet named him the 148th-overall player in his class, the 12th-best outside linebacker in his year and the second-ranked recruit in Washington, D.C. Last year, the talented linebacker accepted an invitation to the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl before deciding to return to Texas A&M for a final season.

Pros

Athletic linebacker prospects have been attributed more value as NFL offenses evolve. Hansford has the frame and athletic profile to be a difference-maker in the league. The former wide receiver is a clean mover with loose hips to transition in coverage. He also boasts impressive short-area quickness and long speed, affording him range at the second level while simultaneously allowing him to navigate the box. Moreover, Hansford is a problem as an untouched pass rusher and overpowers blocking running backs. In zone coverage, the Texas A&M product complements his traits with flashes of spatial awareness and a solid feel for depth. In man, Hansford is athletic enough to cover running backs and tight ends. He uses physicality at or near the line of scrimmage to stay in phase. Against the run, the breakout star’s movement skills allow him to mirror ball carriers in the box and space. He exhibits passable hand usage to disengage from offensive linemen and has the strength to anchor through contact. Additionally, the Washington, D.C. native can evade blockers with quickness. The Aggies’ standout typically plays with sound gap integrity to fill rushing lanes. As a tackler, Hansford takes reasonable angles to the ball carrier before exploding into contact with stopping power. Still new to the position, Hansford will likely continue to improve with more experience.

Cons:

Despite a strong season, the 2020 breakout star’s game is plagued by inexperience. The Aggies’ standout’s inability to diagnose plays is immediately apparent on film. He bites on play fakes far too often and is regularly out of position. As a pass rusher, Hansford’s high pad level and late hands allow linemen to latch on and control him. In zone coverage, he is typically slow to process and react. What’s more, Hansford struggles to simultaneously feel out routes and read the quarterback. Likewise, the talented linebacker is often manipulated by the passer and is not yet capable of understanding route combinations. Hansford’s spatial awareness is also a work in progress; the former wide receiver even leaves his zone at times. In man coverage, the Washington, D.C. product takes false steps, locks his eyes on the quarterback and is often extremely late to flip his hips. Against the run, Hansford often finds himself out of position after reading the mesh point incorrectly or pressing the line prematurely. Further, the athletic defender lacks the power to work through offensive linemen and enters full-man engagement too willingly. Moreover, he tends to remove himself from the play by shedding or evading blocks without considering angles. Hansford can also play too eagerly and abandon his gap. Finally, Hansford’s two season-ending injuries during his career with the Aggies are concerning.

Summary

An athletic linebacker prospect, Hansford boasts desirable traits and a promising base in run defense; however, he is not yet NFL ready in almost any phase of the game and is older than the average prospect. His movement skills and tackling should make him a special-teams option while he develops into an all-around linebacker. Hansford seems to boast a rosterable floor early in his career. If he progresses, he can be an above-average starter in the league.

Grades

6.8 (current value)/8.5 (potential value)

BamaCentral Analysis 

Hansford wasn't much of a factor during last year's game against Alabama, finishing with one tackle (although it was for a loss) while Mac Jones torched the Aggies by passing for 435 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair of deep ball so John Metchie III. The linebacker is second in team tackle with 36, including five for a loss and two sacks, with two passes broken up, and is coming off having a career-best 13 tackles against Mississippi State last week. But the Aggies again struggled against the pass, and moreover haven't forced a turnover over the last two games, both losses. When Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young moves around in the pocket to try and give his receivers a little more time, the long-armed linebacker is the guy he'll be looking to avoid. 

All this week, BamaCentral will profile numerous Texas A&M players as the Crimson Tide prepares to visit Kyle Field on Saturday. Also check out NFL Draft Bible for more evaluations.

Isaiah Spiller