Texas A&M Aggies: Speedy Noil
Every Wednesday, Sam Khan Jr. will take a quick-hit look at some of the top recruits and storylines facing Texas A&M recruiting for the week.
This week’s targets: The Aggies are making sure to comb the state for linebackers now that one of their top targets at the position, 2014 inside linebacker Zach Whitley Jr., is committed elsewhere (Alabama). Spring (Texas) Klein Oak inside linebacker Josh Mabin and outside linebacker Ja'Von Shelley will get looks this week when linebackers coach Mark Hagen and defensive coordinator Mark Snyder are expected at the Panthers' spring game on Thursday. Hagen went by Klein Oak last week to see the pair. Texas A&M has also checked out 2014 Dallas South Oak Cliff defensive end Silvester Hayes, who could project as an outside linebacker and is someone the Aggies are evaluating.
Area of interest: The Aggies' efforts in Louisiana paid some dividends in the last recruiting class, as Texas A&M hauled in three prospects from the neighboring state in the 2013 class, including ESPN 300 cornerback Noel Ellis. So it shouldn't come as a surprise to see them targeting high-level prospects from the state in 2014. They're in the running for several notable kids from "The Boot," including five-star athlete Speedy Noil, ESPN 150 defensive tackle Gerald Willis III and four-star quarterback Brandon Harris. All 10 Aggies commits are Texas products, but expect them to stay in the hunt for those three Louisianans.
This week’s targets: The Aggies are making sure to comb the state for linebackers now that one of their top targets at the position, 2014 inside linebacker Zach Whitley Jr., is committed elsewhere (Alabama). Spring (Texas) Klein Oak inside linebacker Josh Mabin and outside linebacker Ja'Von Shelley will get looks this week when linebackers coach Mark Hagen and defensive coordinator Mark Snyder are expected at the Panthers' spring game on Thursday. Hagen went by Klein Oak last week to see the pair. Texas A&M has also checked out 2014 Dallas South Oak Cliff defensive end Silvester Hayes, who could project as an outside linebacker and is someone the Aggies are evaluating.
Area of interest: The Aggies' efforts in Louisiana paid some dividends in the last recruiting class, as Texas A&M hauled in three prospects from the neighboring state in the 2013 class, including ESPN 300 cornerback Noel Ellis. So it shouldn't come as a surprise to see them targeting high-level prospects from the state in 2014. They're in the running for several notable kids from "The Boot," including five-star athlete Speedy Noil, ESPN 150 defensive tackle Gerald Willis III and four-star quarterback Brandon Harris. All 10 Aggies commits are Texas products, but expect them to stay in the hunt for those three Louisianans.
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#BlueChipBattles: ESPN 150 release edition
April, 19, 2013
Apr 19
11:49
AM CT
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Student Sports, ESPN, ESPNSpeedy Noil, Adoree Jackson and Da'Shawn Hand are three of the most coveted recruits in the Class of 2014.
: RecruitingNation summoned its writers from around the country to outline the recruiting battles for the ESPN 150's top 10 prospects.
Plus, rank the battles in SportsNation.
#TopFBMixtapes: Athlete mixtapes are all the rage in this highlight-crazed era of sports. We reached out to our Twitter followers to find out which 2014 football stars had the best highlight reels on YouTube, then had our staff rank and comment on the top submissions.
Tom Luginbill writes
: After talking to many coaches across the country and hearing their frustrations, here are their five biggest complaints about homemade highlight videos.
Texas A&M has three commits in the 2014 ESPN 150, which was released today. Here's a look at the Aggies' top 10 targets in the ESPN 150, listed from highest to lowest ranked:
1. CB Adoree' Jackson (Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra)
5-foot-11, 183 pounds
ESPN 150 Rank: 5
Why they want him: Speed and athleticism. Jackson has most of what coaches want in a cornerback. His fluid hips, foot quickness and natural athleticism make him an elite prospect. Could wind up on the offensive side of the ball and said some schools are recruiting him as a receiver.
Who else wants him: Plenty of power programs have offered Jackson, including Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and USC.
Odds they get him: Jackson said he intends to visit Texas A&M this summer, so the Aggies will have their chance to impress the five-star prospect. USC and UCLA are also schools that the Illinois native is interested in but Aggies' secondary coach Marcel Yates has experience recruiting the West Coast from his days at Boise State and landed 2013 ESPN 150 receiver Sebastian LaRue for the Aggies earlier this year.
1. CB Adoree' Jackson (Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra)
5-foot-11, 183 pounds
ESPN 150 Rank: 5
Why they want him: Speed and athleticism. Jackson has most of what coaches want in a cornerback. His fluid hips, foot quickness and natural athleticism make him an elite prospect. Could wind up on the offensive side of the ball and said some schools are recruiting him as a receiver.
Who else wants him: Plenty of power programs have offered Jackson, including Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and USC.
Odds they get him: Jackson said he intends to visit Texas A&M this summer, so the Aggies will have their chance to impress the five-star prospect. USC and UCLA are also schools that the Illinois native is interested in but Aggies' secondary coach Marcel Yates has experience recruiting the West Coast from his days at Boise State and landed 2013 ESPN 150 receiver Sebastian LaRue for the Aggies earlier this year.
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ATH Speedy Noil breaks down his top four 
April, 16, 2013
Apr 16
2:21
PM CT
By
Greg Ostendorf | ESPN.com
BUFORD, Ga. -- ESPN Watch List athlete Speedy Noil (New Orleans/Edna Karr) earned his invitation to The Opening back in February at the New Orleans SPARQ Combine. That didn’t stop him from attending the Atlanta NFTC on Saturday.
Noil didn’t go to participate in the camp. He went to support his teammate, defensive end Gerald Willis III. After a strong performance in Atlanta, Willis will be joining Noil in Oregon for The Opening. He received his invite on Saturday.
Although he didn’t work out, Noil did talk about recruiting and his top four -- LSU, Texas A&M, Florida and USC.
Noil didn’t go to participate in the camp. He went to support his teammate, defensive end Gerald Willis III. After a strong performance in Atlanta, Willis will be joining Noil in Oregon for The Opening. He received his invite on Saturday.
Although he didn’t work out, Noil did talk about recruiting and his top four -- LSU, Texas A&M, Florida and USC.
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The legend of Devante “Speedy” Noil has been building for years and years, and the latest chapter is about as impressive as it gets.
As a junior, the coveted New Orleans Edna Karr athlete accounted for 3,975 total yards and 50 touchdowns -- 21 of them rushing -- as the program’s unstoppable lefty quarterback. Edna Karr went 14-0 and finally won the state title game it had lost in 2010 and 2011. It was, for all intents and purposes, a dream season.
As a junior, the coveted New Orleans Edna Karr athlete accounted for 3,975 total yards and 50 touchdowns -- 21 of them rushing -- as the program’s unstoppable lefty quarterback. Edna Karr went 14-0 and finally won the state title game it had lost in 2010 and 2011. It was, for all intents and purposes, a dream season.
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Tweets from Texas A&M junior day
January, 28, 2013
Jan 28
11:00
AM CT
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Texas A&M held its first junior day for 2014 recruits on Sunday. For a list of the visitors, check out our weekend notebook.
Here are a few tweets from recruits in College Station:
Here are a few tweets from recruits in College Station:
Focus on '14: Receivers/tight ends
November, 6, 2012
11/06/12
10:47
AM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
GigEmNation is taking a weekly position-by-position look at the 2014 recruiting class as it relates to Texas A&M, whom the Aggies are targeting, as well as 2013 commits and who on the roster will graduate. Today, we look at receivers and tight ends.
2013 commits: Derrick Griffin, Rosenberg (Texas) Terry; Quincy Adeboyejo, Cedar Hill (Texas) High School; Kyrion Parker, Manvel (Texas) High School; Jeremy Tabuyo, Honolulu St. Louis School. Two athlete commits -- LaQuvionte Gonzalez of Cedar Hill and Cameron Echols-Luper of Auburn (Ala.) High School -- are also possible receivers
Receivers and tight ends who will graduate: Brandal Jackson, Michael Lamothe, Kenric McNeal, Uzoma Nwachukwu, Ryan Swope
2013 commits: Derrick Griffin, Rosenberg (Texas) Terry; Quincy Adeboyejo, Cedar Hill (Texas) High School; Kyrion Parker, Manvel (Texas) High School; Jeremy Tabuyo, Honolulu St. Louis School. Two athlete commits -- LaQuvionte Gonzalez of Cedar Hill and Cameron Echols-Luper of Auburn (Ala.) High School -- are also possible receivers
Receivers and tight ends who will graduate: Brandal Jackson, Michael Lamothe, Kenric McNeal, Uzoma Nwachukwu, Ryan Swope
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Aggies stepping up Louisiana recruiting
October, 11, 2012
10/11/12
1:00
PM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- When Texas A&M travels Saturday to Shreveport, La., to take on Louisiana Tech, it will be a homecoming for Aggies linebacker Jonathan Stewart, a Shreveport native.
For eight other players on the Aggies' roster it will be a return to their home state. All nine Aggies that hail from Louisiana have seen the field this season, and four of them -- Stewart, cornerback Deshazor Everett, center Patrick Lewis and defensive end Julien Obioha -- are starters.
There's definitely a Louisiana presence on the team. Lewis dubs the group "Louisianimals."
For eight other players on the Aggies' roster it will be a return to their home state. All nine Aggies that hail from Louisiana have seen the field this season, and four of them -- Stewart, cornerback Deshazor Everett, center Patrick Lewis and defensive end Julien Obioha -- are starters.
There's definitely a Louisiana presence on the team. Lewis dubs the group "Louisianimals."
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Texas A&M venturing out of state in 2014
September, 27, 2012
9/27/12
2:30
PM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
The state of Texas has been and will continue to be the primary recruiting base for Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and his coaching staff. The Lone Star State oozes talent on a year-in, year-out basis and the Aggies are certainly tapping into that well.
But with their entrance into the Southeastern Conference, the Aggies have been able to expand their recruiting footprint, another thing that Sumlin wanted to see. A national presence is something he wants. So that's why it should come as no surprise that the Aggies have offered 13 out-of-state prospects that are on the ESPN Watch List.
Still, Texas rules the roost for the Aggies, where they've offered 16 players on the ESPN Watch List. They already have a commitment from one of them (Dallas Skyline cornerback Cedric Collins) and they're very much in the mix for several others, including Austin Lake Travis running back Shaun Nixon, La Porte (Texas) High School linebacker Hoza Scott, Arlington (Texas) Bowie safety Edwin Freeman and Lancaster (Texas) High School athlete Nick Harvey, to name a few.
But with their entrance into the Southeastern Conference, the Aggies have been able to expand their recruiting footprint, another thing that Sumlin wanted to see. A national presence is something he wants. So that's why it should come as no surprise that the Aggies have offered 13 out-of-state prospects that are on the ESPN Watch List.
Still, Texas rules the roost for the Aggies, where they've offered 16 players on the ESPN Watch List. They already have a commitment from one of them (Dallas Skyline cornerback Cedric Collins) and they're very much in the mix for several others, including Austin Lake Travis running back Shaun Nixon, La Porte (Texas) High School linebacker Hoza Scott, Arlington (Texas) Bowie safety Edwin Freeman and Lancaster (Texas) High School athlete Nick Harvey, to name a few.
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Notes: QB pitching Seals-Jones on Aggies
September, 6, 2012
9/06/12
1:30
PM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
Like many elite players, there's a mutual respect that exists between Sealy (Texas) receiver Ricky Seals-Jones and Houston St. Pius X quarterback Kohl Stewart.
They've played each other before, both are highly-ranked recruits and they're each among the best at their respective positions nationally. While there is a healthy respect, there's also a bit of a friendship between the pair: they text each other on a regular basis and have since they first met last year.
So you can bet that Stewart, who is committed to Texas A&M, has been in the ear of Seals-Jones, the No. 10 player in the ESPN 150 and the nation's No. 1-ranked receiver, about the Aggies.
They've played each other before, both are highly-ranked recruits and they're each among the best at their respective positions nationally. While there is a healthy respect, there's also a bit of a friendship between the pair: they text each other on a regular basis and have since they first met last year.
So you can bet that Stewart, who is committed to Texas A&M, has been in the ear of Seals-Jones, the No. 10 player in the ESPN 150 and the nation's No. 1-ranked receiver, about the Aggies.
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ABOUT GIGEMNATION
Sam Khan Jr.
Sam Khan Jr. joined ESPN.com in 2012 after nearly seven years with the Houston Chronicle, covering the University of Houston, college sports and high school sports. Khan lives in Houston with his wife. He can be reached at skespn@gmail.com.