10 key Texas A&M Aggies to know for the 2023 football season

Since signing the best recruiting class in A&M history in 2022, Fisher has been working on plugging the right pieces into a puzzle that the 12th Man can sit back, relax and admire.

Here are 10 key players to watch out for in the 2023-2024 season:

Evan Stewart

Sophomore WR | 6-0, 175 pounds

2022 stats: 53 receptions, 649 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns

Breakdown: In an offense that was plagued with injuries on top of injuries on top of, you guessed it, injuries, the former five-star prospect still produced at a high level last season. In just 10 games, including eight starts, Stewart was eighth in the SEC and led all-league freshmen, averaging 64.9 receiving yards per game. He also ranked in the top 10 in the SEC with 53 receptions on the year. He finished the season on the 2022 SEC All-Freshman Team and was honored as an ESPN Freshman All-American, The Athletic Freshman All-American and FWAA Freshman All-American.

The Frisco native should benefit from having former five-star prospect Conner Weigman as quarterback, first-year A&M offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino behind the playbook and a surplus of talent at the wide receiver position to ease his workload.

Edgerrin Cooper

Sophomore LB | 6-3, 230 pounds

2022 stats: 33 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception

Breakdown: The Aggies’ biggest concern going into the 2023 season is their run defense. In 2022, A&M finished No. 123 in opponent rushing yards allowed, allowing 4.82 yards per rush and 208.8 yards per game. In order to limit the rushing attack against opponents and gain control of the game clock, Cooper will need to play a major role.

The top-10 prospect out of the state of Louisiana has all the key components for playing the linebacker position. He has the speed to track down the ball on the strong side of the field and the agility to cut back and stop runners from cutting back to the weak side. These attributes also make him a threat to opposing quarterbacks when he drops back in coverage. He accumulated five pass breakups last season, which tied him for fifth among linebackers nationally.

Bryce Anderson

Sophomore DB | 6-0, 195 pounds

2022 stats: 16 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble

Breakdown: One of the Aggies’ major losses over the offseason was Antonio Johnson, who was drafted in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson was a reliable source when it came to covering the slot and making open-field tackles. Now, that responsibility lies in the hands of a former four-star recruit from Beaumont.

In high school, Anderson was an electric playmaker as a dual-threat quarterback. He’s gifted with sudden lateral speed, dangerous cutback ability and open-field elusiveness. He faced a bit of a learning curve making the transition to safety but after a long offseason with senior strong safety Demani Richardson, that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

“I feel like he’s grown in just like understanding the defense,” Richardson said. “I’m trying to help him understand the different coverages to what people are trying to get done but he’s going to play a really big role in what we do this year.”

Bryce Foster

Sophomore center / 6-5, 330 pounds

2022 stats: Started in four games before suffering a torn ACL that sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Breakdown: The quarterback of the offensive line. Without Foster in the middle calling out blocking assignments to teammate guards sophomore Kam Dewberry and graduate student Layden Robinson, the Aggies could be in for a long season.

He is a run-game mauler with a massive build and good initial hand placement. The former four-star prospect has been named to the Rimington Trophy watchlist and can be one of the SEC’s best centers if he can stay healthy.

Trey Zuhn III

Sophomore LT / 6-7, 315 pounds

2022 stats: Started at left tackle in all 11 games he played.

Breakdown: Zuhn serves as a perfect complement to the offensive line next to Dewberry, Foster and Robinson. More importantly, his role is to protect Weigman’s blindside from edge rushers such as junior Dallas Turner (Alabama) and sophomore Harold Perkins (LSU).

With the lack of depth at the tackle position, Zuhn’s role at left tackle will be crucial to the Aggies’ offense if he can stay healthy. The Colorado native wasn’t 100% last season, and he played hurt in the 11 games he appeared in. After rehabbing all offseason, Zuhn should be ready to go come Week 1.

“Physically, right now, I’m at 110%,” Zuhn said. “I’m stronger than ever. I’m faster than ever. During the season, I had a couple of nicks and knacks that forced me to miss spring ball, but right now, I’m ready to roll.”

McKinnley Jackson

Senior NT / 6-2, 325 pounds

2022 stats: 37 total tackles, 23 solo tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recover

Breakdown: For an Aggie defense that ranked No. 123 nationally in opponent rushing yards allowed, Jackson’s return should be significant for their run game.Jackson earned SEC All-Freshman honors in 2020.

When healthy, he is a menace in the backfield. Per Pro Football Focus, he ranked first in the SEC among defensive linemen who played at least 50% of run snaps last season in the percentage of running plays that ended with him making the stop. The former four-star recruit will play a crucial role in A&M’s run defense if he can stay in good shape.

Ainias Smith

Graduate Student WR / 5-10, 200 pounds

2022 stats: 15 receptions, 291 yards, 2 touchdowns

Breakdown: Before suffering a season-ending injury in the Southwest Classic, Smith was on pace for an All-American-caliber season. He has caught a pass in 27 consecutive games, dating back to their loss against the 2019 National Champions, LSU. The sky is the limit for Stewart and sophomore Noah Thomas, and Smith brings experience that could rub off on the two. His role in the slot this season will be key to the success of the offense and should potentially open up Stewart and Thomas for big plays.

Conner Weigman

Sophomore QB / 6-3, 215 pounds

2022 stats: 73-132 passing, 896 yards, 8 touchdowns

Breakdown: Quarterbacks are valuable to an offense. He communicates calls from the sideline to the huddle, orchestrates each play, studies the defensive coverage and is the leader on the field. Weigman checked all these boxes and that is why Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher named him the Week 1 starter against New Mexico.

The Cypress native has the weapons on the outside, the structure on the offensive line and an offensive coordinator who has the experience to lead a high-power offense. All Weigman has to do is his job.

Shemar Turner

Junior DE / 6-4, 290 pounds

2022 stats: 32 total tackles, 12 solo, 0.5 sacks

Breakdown: The former four-star prospect is a natural athlete with a deadly frame and impressive quickness off the snap that should haunt opposing tackles all season. Turner received the most snaps among any A&M defensive lineman last season and ranked first among defensive linemen in quarterback hurries with 17. The DeSoto product has made a major leap this offseason, as he was named A&M’s defensive MVP this spring honors alongside Anderson. His role will be significant to the defense this season as he looks to haunt opposing quarterbacks and force uncomfortable throws.

Max Wright

Graduate Student TE / 6-4, 260 pounds

2022 stats: 9 receptions, 129 yards, 1 touchdown

Breakdown: Wright will most likely play an even bigger role with sophomore tight end Donovan Green missing the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL injury. The tight end position may be the most deep position on the A&M roster, but without Wright it could be the most inexperienced. That’s why his role will be more important from an educational standpoint than from a playing standpoint. A few players, such as sophomore Jake Johnson, redshirt sophomore Fernando Garza and redshirt freshman Theo Melin Ohrstrom, will rotate through that position. However, none of them will be more reliable than the Katy native. Wright’s experience and leadership will not only rub off on the players in his position but also on the rest of the team.

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