Texas A&M Aggies

Several of RecruitingNation's SEC sites will look this week at the players headed to the NFL combine, which begins Friday in Indianapolis, and other predraft camps. Today: Defensive linemen and linebackers.

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M's defense was a question mark coming into the 2012 season, but those questions were answered definitively as the Aggies became a solid defensive squad, thanks in large part to three players who will be participating in the combine:

• DE Damontre Moore (Position rank: No. 4)
  Strengths: Explosiveness and production. Moore was a handful for opposing offensive tackles this year because of his quickness and explosiveness as a pass-rusher. He has good speed for his size and position; that could be seen against Mississippi State when he chased down receiver Chris Smith from behind on a 42-yard completion. He was near the top nationally in sacks and tackles for loss.
  Weaknesses: He can be too aggressive in his pursuit occasionally, although he has good instincts. A year ago, inconsistency might have been a concern and there also might have been character questions because of an arrest for marijuana possession before his sophomore season, but neither appear to be issues now. He seems to have matured and has become a consistent, day-in and day-out player under Kevin Sumlin.
  Comparison: Todd McShay compared Moore to Atlanta defensive end John Abraham. They have similar frames (both are 6-4, Abraham is about 15 pounds heavier than Moore's 248), and both are quick and fit well as 4-3 defensive ends.
• OLB Sean Porter (Position rank: No. 12)
  Strengths: He's durable, reliable and became a leader for the Aggies. Showed good speed when serving as a pass-rusher in 2011. He is quick and can close quickly. Good instincts, versatile talent.
  Weaknesses: Doesn't excel in coverage, though he has showed improvement in that area. Could be a more physical player and more consistent overall.
  Comparison: Lance Briggs. About the same height as Porter, though a little bigger in weight, Briggs has good range and is a playmaker. It might be too much to say Porter will be at the level of Briggs (seven-time Pro Bowl player), but he should fit in nicely as a versatile starting weakside linebacker for someone.
• LB Jonathan Stewart (Position rank: No. 16)
  Strengths: Smart player with good size for his position. Shows good instincts as he's often around the ball. Was one of the leaders on A&M's defense this year.
  Weaknesses: Not a dominant playmaking presence. Has speed but not tremendously explosive.
  Comparison: Kirk Morrison. Stewart should be a solid, though not flashy, linebacker in a 4-3 scheme which is what Morrison has been throughout his career with Oakland and Buffalo. Both are of similar size and frame.

-- Sam Khan Jr., GigEmNation

Florida Gators

The heart of the Gators’ 2012 defense will participate in the combine today. DT Sharrif Floyd, whose stock is rising rapidly as he is projected to be taken as high as No. 3, had a fantastic season and anchored UF’s front. He dominated Florida State’s front, and his mixture of size, strength and quickness has scouts drooling. ILB Jon Bostic started every game the past two seasons and was UF’s leader on defense. Nobody was more dependable than Bostic. OLB Jelani Jenkins was limited in 2012 because of a broken finger, a strained hamstring and a broken foot, but when healthy he’s a solid player. OLB Lerentee McCray was forced into action at the buck position (hybrid end/linebacker) because of the injury to Ronald Powell. He didn’t produce big numbers but was a high-effort, high-motor guy.

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Several of RecruitingNation's SEC sites will look this week at the players headed to the NFL combine, which begins Friday in Indianapolis, and other predraft camps. Today: Offensive linemen.

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M could have sent two tackles into the draft and both would have probably ended up as first-round picks. Luke Joeckel chose to declare, but Jake Matthews chose to return to Aggieland for another year. Joeckel, the Outland Trophy winner this year, will be rewarded as a possible top-five selection -- and possibly No.1 overall.

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Several of RecruitingNation's SEC sites will look this week at the players headed to the NFL combine, which begins Friday in Indianapolis. Today: Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M's best draft-eligible talent wasn't at the offensive skill positions, but the Aggies offer some nice players who will hear their names called at some point during the NFL draft. Perhaps the Aggies' two best offensive players were redshirt freshmen in quarterback Johnny Manziel and receiver Mike Evans, both of whom appear to have NFL futures in the long run. Meanwhile, these two players who produced impressively during their careers at Texas A&M, are worth keeping an eye on:

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Johnny Manziel ran for almost 1,700 yards and 30 touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback his senior year of high school at Kerrville Tivy.

Who would have thought he'd be even more impressive at Texas A&M when pitted against the defenses of the Southeastern Conference? Read the full story.

GigEmNation is counting down the top five moments of Texas A&M’s 2012 season this week. No. 5 ...

When Texas A&M traveled to Dallas to take on SMU, redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel made one of the "Wow" plays that makes fans and observers wonder, "How did he do that?" in the third quarter of the Aggies' 48-3 victory. Part of the reason Manziel is nicknamed "Johnny Football" is because of plays like this.

Texas A&M was leading 20-0 and facing third-and-9 at the SMU 42. Manziel dropped back and SMU linebacker Taylor Reed found a hole in the middle of the offensive line, shot the gap and had a clear shot at Manziel and a sack.

Manziel had other ideas. He spun out of the would-be sack and sprinted left as SMU linebacker Ja'Gared Davis sprinted toward him. Before Davis could get there, Manziel leaped off one foot, leaned forward and fired a pass over a leaping Davis. The pass hit senior receiver Kenric McNeal directly on the No. 5 on his jersey and he turned toward the end zone. He sprinted the final 29 yards untouched for the 42-yard touchdown.

It was one of many highlight-worthy plays of the day for Manziel, but it was probably the most impressive, considering how accurate the throw was after he dodged two defenders.

"With Johnny, of course, he's Captain Amazing back there, not getting sacked," senior receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu said after that game. "Johnny Football, Captain Amazing, I'm pretty sure next week we'll have another [nickname] for him. It's a growing legend going on."

Nwachukwu was right. It was a legend that only grew bigger as the season wore on.

Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Johnny Manziel has wowed the college football world with his performance this season. With his production (4,600 total yards, 43 touchdowns responsible for), his athleticism and his knack for making highlight-reel-worthy plays, turning the impossible to possible, he has received significant praise from teammates, coaches, opponents and media.

We'll find out Saturday night whether he'll become the first freshman in college football history to take home the sport's most coveted individual award. In the meantime, here's a glance at some of the comments made about Manziel throughout this season:

• "Johnny Manziel is a fantastic athlete." -- Florida coach Will Muschamp, after the Gators' 20-17 win over Texas A&M in the Aggies' season opener Sept. 8.

• "With Johnny, of course, he's Captain Amazing back there, not getting sacked ... Johnny Football, Captain Amazing, I'm pretty sure next week we'll have another [nickname] for him. It's a growing legend going on." -- Texas A&M receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu, after a 48-3 win over SMU on Sept. 15.

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ESPN's Todd McShay ranked the top 10 most valuable players in college football for the 2012 season. Near the top of that list: Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Here's a glimpse of what McShay had to say about Manziel.

Manziel's production this season has been ridiculous. He's 17th in the nation in passing efficiency, with a 24-to-8 TD-to-INT ratio, and has rushed for 1,181 yards (6.4 per-carry average) and 19 scores. His ability to create yards on his own really enhances his value.

See what else McShay had to say, where Manziel ranked on the list and who else was on the list here: Read the full story (Insider)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- A year ago at this time, Texas A&M football was at an important crossroads.

The program sought out a new head coach, having dismissed Mike Sherman, who went 25-25 in four seasons there. The crosshairs in the process appeared to be set on Houston's Kevin Sumlin, who went 35-17 through four seasons in Houston and lifted the Cougars high into the national rankings in both 2009 and 2011.

The Aggies were coming off a 6-6 year (which would become 7-6 after a win over Northwestern in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas), one that had high preseason expectations, including a top-10 ranking. A year that was supposed to be filled with success was instead marred with second-half collapses and a wondering about where things were headed. With the transition from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference on tap, the leadership felt a new direction was needed. Sumlin was eventually tabbed to lead the Aggies into the SEC -- and since then, things have drastically changed.

The last 365 days, give or take a few, have been transformative for the program. Sumlin has injected an energy and swagger into the program that has fueled the Aggies' 10-2 season. After graduating a top-10, first-round pick at quarterback (Ryan Tannehill), a redshirt freshman named Johnny Manziel has stepped in and shattered records and become a Heisman Trophy candidate. Texas A&M is ranked in the top 10 (No. 9) and the recruiting momentum that the Aggies are building is strong, as they're quickly becoming a premier destination for recruits by offering the combination of quality facilities, college football's premier conference and a chance to win in that conference.

What a difference a year makes.

Some of the things the Aggies accomplished this season seemed like pipe dreams at the start of the year. A potential Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback? Going into fall camp, Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury had not even named a starter at the position, with redshirt sophomores Jameill Showers and Matt Joeckel battling Manziel.

Even for the quarterback himself, often called by his nickname, "Johnny Football," it's a little unbelievable.

"It’s crazy," he said "It’s so surreal for me to even be mentioned in the same category or in the same sentence as the Heisman Trophy. It would be a dream come true for me to even go to New York and sit down, after years and years of watching guys that I looked up to get dressed up and sit on the front row and hope that their name is called. So for me, it would be a dream come true and something that I would cherish forever."

While Manziel has played a major role in the Aggies' success, so has the leadership of the team -- and not just Sumlin and the coaching staff, but the senior class of players. Guys like linebackers Sean Porter and Jonathan Stewart, safety Steven Terrell, defensive tackle Spencer Nealy, center Patrick Lewis, receivers Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu and cornerback/return specialist Dustin Harris have been a big reason the Aggies are a top-10 team this year.

For starters, Sumlin said, they bought in to what the new coaching staff was selling and the idea that they could be successful in the SEC, despite what others said.

"It really was just guys having faith; belief without proof," Sumlin said. "Coming into the year, we really didn't care what everybody else's expectations were ... I think that what these seniors have done is to really set the tone for how to do things away from Saturday. There was a big change in that type of culture."

Sherman said something interesting in his final news conference as the Aggies' coach, after flatly stating that he felt he didn't deserved to be fired.

"I feel like the program is definitely headed in the right direction and I hope the next coach appreciates the opportunity he's going to get to work with these players," he said.

Though some changes fueled this signature season, the first since 1998 in which the Aggies have won 10 games, it turns out Sherman was right.

While many had questions about what could be for the Aggies in the SEC, the players were confident. When asked after the final game of the season whether he could have imagined the season turning out the way it has, Porter took it a step further, demonstrating the confidence the team carried throughout the year.

"It's not as good as I thought it could be," Porter said. "Like Jonathan said, we thought we were going to win all of our games. We truthfully thought that. A lot of people were giving us crap about it at the beginning of the season. I remember going into SEC media day and all those guys in there were looking at me like we were going to be some kind of doormat or something, but this entire time we've had a lot of confidence, and we have confidence in the type of players that we have. I've said it since the beginning of the season: We have the same caliber of athletes as anybody does in the nation. I think this was a great season for us to come out and prove that, and A&M is just going to go up from here."

As he prepared to take the field against No. 1 Oklahoma late in the first quarter Nov. 9, 2002, former Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal, then a freshman, now keenly remembers the words delivered by his offensive coordinator, Kevin Sumlin.

Stepping into a game against an undefeated perennial power would be intimidating for anybody, let alone a freshman. But Sumlin's words put McNeal at ease.

"When I got ready to go on the field, I talked to Sumlin and exactly what he told me was, 'Reg, you're a damn good athlete. You've been playing this game for a long time. Play the game like you know how to play it. Go have fun. I'm going to put you in the right situations and you get us where we need to be and have fun doing it.' And that's how I approached the game," McNeal said. "With Coach having my back as much as he did, it took a lot of pressure off. I wasn't out there pressing and making mistakes."

The rest is history. Behind McNeal -- who threw for 191 yards and four touchdowns -- the Aggies upset the Sooners 30-26 at Kyle Field.

One day after the 10-year anniversary of that historic Aggies victory, Sumlin again was wearing maroon and white Saturday, facing the nation's No. 1 team, Alabama. Again, he had a freshman quarterback -- redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel -- but with a couple of key differences: Sumlin is now the Aggies coach, and this game was on the road against the defending BCS champions.

The result was the same: a stunning victory for Texas A&M.

"They're both great moments," Sumlin said after this past weekend's 29-24 win in Tuscaloosa, Ala. "Obviously being a head coach, it's probably a little more special because it's right now. Both of those are great moments for me personally, and for Texas A&M. But to go on the road and win, that's pretty big."

Sumlin, who is in his first year leading the Aggies after spending the last four years as the head coach at Houston, has made Texas A&M's transition into the Southeastern Conference a successful one. One would be hard-pressed to find anyone who thought the Aggies would possess their record (8-2) or ranking (No. 8) at this point in the season, much less take down the Crimson Tide.

But those who know Sumlin well aren't surprised at all.

"Having played for him, having worked for him as well, I think a number of things: He has a great vision and a great plan for what he wants his program to be like and to encompass," said Houston head coach Tony Levine, who was an assistant with Sumlin at Houston and played for him at Minnesota. "He's got clear ideas, and probably the best communicator that I've ever worked for."

McNeal said the way Sumlin carries himself also helps, citing a positive, upbeat attitude that is part of the coach's daily approach.

"He enjoyed what he did," McNeal recalled of Sumlin during his first A&M stint. "He always enjoyed the environment and the situation he was in. He never had a bad day -- or if he did, he never showed it."

Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who worked with Sumlin at Houston, said the way Sumlin treats people stands out.

"I think just the way he treats his players and coaches as men and with respect," Kingsbury said. "You don’t ever see him belittling them in front of their peers. He just expects you to be a man and take care of your business. There’s just a level of respect that he gives each and every person he come into contact with that, in this profession, is very refreshing."

The term "players' coach" has been used before when describing Sumlin, and his own players have used the term. But that doesn't mean he has issues with lack of discipline. The balance between getting along with his players and maintaining a level of authority is something that Levine believes Sumlin manages extremely well.

"I think when you hear people say that an athlete has 'it' or that person has the 'It factor,' I think Kevin Sumlin has 'it' when it comes to that natural balance of relating to not only 20-year-olds but your coaches, your staff, but having still the understanding of who's the boss and what the expectations are," Levine said. "I think that's a skill and a trait that almost comes natural to him."