2022 Recruiting Overview: Texas A&M

Written By Alex Kuehler
A closer look at the #1 rated recruiting class of all time.

By: The Hammer

@thejunctionblog

How you like us now? Jimbo Fisher and the rest of his staff hauled in an unbelievable recruiting class in 2022. The highest rated recruiting class of all time, in fact. A&M has recruited very well in the past, but not this well. This class is in a league of their own. On paper, that is. They still need to deliver once they get on campus. The hype is there, the potential is there, but they have not accomplished anything yet. Let’s take a look at all the players A&M signed and then get into Jimbo’s press conference where he went scorched earth on “sliced bread,” BroBible, Notre Dame’s VP of Communication, Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban. He called Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban “clown acts.” It was fantastic. 

So what does the number one recruiting class of all time look like? These statistics and rankings are courtesy of 247Sports, the most accurate recruiting ranking service going at the moment in my opinion.

Whoa nelly! That was a lot to organize. Let’s break it down. The Aggies signed seven 5 stars, nineteen 4 stars and three 3 stars. Unbelievable talent haul, no wonder it’s the highest rated class of all time. The defensive line class is one of the best I have ever seen with SIX top 100 defensive lineman, including the top rated player in the country on some services (#2 on 247), Walter Nolen. 

Despite the depth and top end talent on the defensive line coming to Aggieland, you don’t sign the highest rated recruiting class of all time without studs all across the board. As mentioned in our season recap, the wide receiver position lacked production in 2021 so adding top end talent there was a must. Outside of Georgia’s 2021 national championship, recent championship teams have all had incredibly talented receiving corps with guys like DeVonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, etc. Receivers who can win one on one on the outside AND are dynamic after the catch are vital to offensive success in modern college football. Evan Stewart and Chris Marshall fit that mold. Smith is an absolute burner who has incredible big play ability at 6 foot and 175 pounds. Marshall is more of your prototypical outside receiver at 6 foot 3 inches and 195 pounds. The Fort Bend Marshall product is fairly new to football, only picking it up during high school. Similar to Mike Evans, Marshall was a basketball player first. He can light it up on the hardwood as well and plans on playing for Buzz Williams and the Aggie basketball team too. 

The defensive back talent is unbelievable as well. I know I sound like a broken record but it cannot be stated enough the influx of top end talent arriving on campus. We have four top 100 defensive backs arriving and 6 in the top 200. Adding that kind of talent on the defensive line and secondary on what has already been a top 10 defense for the past two years is scary. And it gives me confidence that there will not be much of a dropoff with Elko leaving to take the Duke head coaching gig. 

Weigman was named the Offensive Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Houston. Photo by Eric Christian Smith, Houston Chronicle

One thing Jimbo’s offense has done well in his tenure is run the ball and throw to tight ends, so it's no surprise he was able to bring in three of the top six rated tight ends in this cycle, along with a top 100 running back in Le’Veon Moss. And finally, at the most important position of all, A&M secured a commitment from five star Conner Weigman, a 6 foot 2 inch, 208 pound signal caller from Bridgeland High School in Cypress, TX. Weigman is an absolute stud and rated the second best quarterback in the country. Jimbo is so confident in Weigman and the guys he already has on campus that he did not pursue the ultra-hyped Quinn Ewers in the transfer portal. We’ll see how that pans out as Ewers has a ton of potential, but Jimbo stuck with his guys. 

Overall, just a mammoth of a class. I’ve seen a ton of haters out there saying “all this talent to just go 8-4” or “so much talent just to go to the (insert mediocre bowl game).” While I understand those comments, especially from fans who are salty their team couldn’t bring in a recruiting class like A&M just did, the reality is there really hasn’t ever been this much talent on campus. Trust me, I know as well as anyone the disappointment and underachieving that has taken place in College Station over the years. I have felt that pain. Yes, many A&M teams in the past had a lot of talent and did not win as much as they should have, but no roster has ever had near the amount of talent as the 2022, 2023 and beyond teams will have. Will that translate into national success like an SEC title, CFP appearance, a national championship? It needs to, and Jimbo knows this. So for all you folks saying there are no excuses now, you are correct. There are no excuses. Jimbo has brought in the kind of talent to win at the highest level, and it's his job to ensure the success follows.

Alex Kuehler
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