Pro Football Focus previews Texas A&M's 2025 football season

USA Today

2 days ago

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko will enter his second season at the helm with higher expectations than his inaugural campaign, largely due to the return of talent and 14 transfer portal additions that have added much-needed depth to a roster that needed to change for the better and transform previous weaknesses into predominant strengths.
The return of redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed resulted in wide receivers KC Concepcion (NC State) and Mario Craver (Mississippi State), two of the top transfer receivers, choosing the Aggies based on Reed's skill set and their overall fit in OC Collin Klein's offense. In the backfield, senior running back Le'Veon Moss and former five-star Rueben Owens are the headliners, while Amari Daniels and EJ Smith provide elite depth.
However, the 2025 Aggie offense will only work as long as the offensive line lives up to its high offseason expectations, which includes all five 2024 starters, led by senior guard Ar'maj Reed-Adams, whose high confidence in the O-line and the offense as a whole was seen during his appearance at SEC Media Days last week.
"The goals we have aren't lofty. We were one play away from being in the SEC Championship game… We're coming."
Adams' statement isn't just based on confidence, but the reality that surrounds A&M's roster, which is all too experienced and talented not to win at least nine or ten games this season, despite what rival fanbases or some in the national media have stated. Still, credit to Pro Football Focus for, yes, focusing on the core reasons Texas A&M will either make the College Football Playoff or, once again, win only seven or eight games.
On offense, PFF believes that the running game, led by Le'Veon Moss and Marcel Reed, during designed runs, is Texas A&M's primary strength, mainly due to the backfield's speed and vision, combined with the veteran offensive line, which will also open up the passing game with new and returning weapons.
"Texas A&M's ground game should be one of the best in the country this season. The Aggies boast the No. 5 running back unit and No. 3 offensive line, along with one of the top rushing quarterbacks in the nation in Marcel Reed. Adding to that firepower are wide receivers Kevin Concepcion and Terry Bussey, both of whom have shown big-play ability out of the backfield."
Defensively, the loss of defensive linemen Shemar Stewart, Shemar Turner, and Nic Scourton to the NFL created an opening for senior edge Cashius Howell and junior Rylan Kennedy to earn starting spots on the outside, while four defensive line additions from the transfer portal, including former Iowa State DL Tyler Odyedim, who is nearly guaranteed to make an immediate impact inside between junior DJ Hicks and senior Albert Regis.
However, the defense isn't highlighted within the preview, instead noting that Texas A&M's main weakness is Marcel Reed's potential lack of improvement in the passing game, which could put the Aggies at a disadvantage if he doesn't exhibit strides early and throughout the 2025 season.
"For Texas A&M's offense to avoid becoming one-dimensional in 2025, Marcel Reed must develop as a passer. His 64.6 passing grade last season ranked just 114th nationally, and his 29.4 grade under pressure was the fourth-lowest in the Power Four. With a top-tier offensive line and a deep group of playmakers around him, the pieces are in place — now Reed simply needs to elevate his game."
While these are simply numbers, Reed's "freshman moments" came under pressure, leading to most of his six interceptions. Therefore, I agree that with all the strengths around him, improving in the pocket is mandatory for the Aggies to win tough games at home, especially on the road.
PFF named Marcel Reed and Ar'maj Reed-Adams as the offensive players of focus, noting Reed's speed and 22 "explosive" runs last season, paired with Adams' elite running blocking and overall power as both players' strengths. On defense, junior linebacker Taurean York, who finished with 59 run stops last season, is either tied, or right behind Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr., who, as we all remember, was once committed to Texas A&M.
The biggest takeaway from this preview is that we are in complete agreement that Marcel Reed's internal clock, which PFF measured at an average of 3.1 seconds before his release last season, needs to speed up, which shouldn't be difficult while working with a wide receiver room built on speed and quickness and better separation in coverage.
Texas A&M is a College Football Playoff contender on paper, only if Marcel Reed takes that proverbial "next step," while the pass rush and secondary show consistency with Mike Elko now calling plays.
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