ESPN High On Aggies' Defense For 2023 Season And Beyond

ESPN considers the Aggies to have one of college football's more potent defensive units for the next several seasons.

Offense wins games; defense wins championships. That's how the saying goes in most close-knit football circles. 

For Texas A&M in 2023, maybe the defense just wins games, and fans could consider that a championship after a woeful 5-7 finish in 2022. 

ESPN is high on the Aggies' defense being one contributing factor in 2023, ranking them inside the top 15 of future units. Last season, the Aggies posted the No. 1 pass defense among FBS teams but struggled to contain the run among opponents in the SEC. 

Projecting Texas A&M's overall outlook beyond 2023 isn't easy, given the disastrous results last season and what they could mean if coach Jimbo Fisher doesn't turn things around soon. But the Aggies' defense still finished in the top 25 nationally in points allowed, and it returns a sizable group of high-level recruits who could break out this coming season. Texas A&M's historic 2022 defensive recruiting haul included linemen Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart and LT Overton. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, another headliner of the 2022 class, should be a bigger factor as he comes off of a knee injury. The line also has veterans such as seniors McKinley Jackson and Fadil Diggs and junior Shemar Turner, so depth should be a strength. - Adam Rittenberg

Veteran talent will be A&M's x-factor in the trenches under second-year coordinator D.J. Durkin. Jackson and Diggs provide stability as both run defenders and should bring upside to the pass rush. The expectation is for second-year players from the historic 2022 recruiting class to expand on their reps, but also on production. 

Fisher spoke highly of Nolen's development this spring and should be a factor in a rotational role at defensive tackle. The same goes for Brownlow-Dindy and Overton, both of whom were limited in reps due to depth. 

Depth in the linebacker room should up the level of competition behind Edgerrin Cooper and Chris Russell. Cooper, who could have entered last month's NFL draft, elected to return for his senior season after leading the Aggies with eight tackles for loss. Russell was a hit-or-miss at times in space, but he did finish third in tackles with 66 stops. 

The addition of Jackson State's Jurriente Davis should at least provide a veteran feel and replace the loss to Andre White Jr. Last season with the Tigers, Davis totaled 58 tackles, including 7.5 behind the line of scrimmage. 

Fisher was also pleased with the sophomore Martrell Harris Jr's spring progress. A native of The Woodlands, Harris primarily was used as a situational pass rusher on third downs and totaled two sacks. 

The secondary should remain a strength despite the departures of nickel defender Antonio Johnson and starting cornerback Jaylon Jones. Tyreek Chappell returns on the outside after a stellar 2022 season and should be penciled in as the No. 1 corner. A&M also elected to add veteran depth with North Carolina's Tony Grimes, Florida State's Sam McCall, and Boston College's Josh DeBerry. 

Grimes, former All-ACC defensive back, is slated to replace Jones on the boundary. McCall and DeBerry are multi-purpose defensive backs that could see reps at both cornerback and nickel defender. 

The Aggies also return both Demani Richardson and Jardin Gilbert at safety. Richardson is the leader of the defense, having started 43 games while recording 245 tackles. Gilbert vastly improved this spring. Defending the run should be more well-rounded on the back end. 

Fisher also is hopeful sophomore Bryce Anderson will match similar production to Johnson. A native of Beaumont, Anderson thrived and excelled in coverage with the first-team defense and was named the spring's Defensive MVP. 

The Aggies open the season at Kyle Field on Sept. 2 against New Mexico. 

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