
But there is one reason why Anderson checks in at only No. On talent alone, Anderson deserves to be in the 12th Man’s top dozen. And at the end of the spring, Anderson shared defensive MVP honors with defensive lineman Shemar Turner. He began to receive practice reps on kickoff return as well. He has shown that much promise at nickel – and safety – since joining A&M last season.įor much of spring football, Anderson looked like the best player on the Aggie defense.
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They might even have a long-term upgrade in Anderson. Why he received his ranking: Even though the Aggies lost their best defensive player following last season, Antonio Johnson, they probably will not experience much of a drop-off at nickel cornerback in 2023.
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Recorded 28 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.Ģ022 Pro Football Focus grades: 66.9 defensive grade, 80.9 run defense grade, 59.4 pass rush grade and 58.4 coverage grade.

Defensive back Bryce AndersonĬlass: Sophomore (three seasons of eligibility left).Ģ022 stats: Appeared in 11 games. The parameters that were used for these rankings are listed at the bottom of this story.Ĭoming in at No. They either rank various players from different position groups on talent alone or have unclear criteria. Those types of rankings are often created with a faulty approach. Reminder: The 12th Man’s top dozen is not a simple ranking of the best players on the Aggies.
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The new series – which comes from GigEm247 reporter Carter Karels – ranks the 12 most valuable players on the Texas A&M football roster for the 2023 season. Jimbo Fisher could very well round out this unit with additional depth via the transfer portal, but as the group currently stands they have a nice blend of veteran experience, coupled with a potential breakout star, that should put a stamp on the impending 2023 season.Ĭontact/Follow us on Twitt er, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions.The daily countdown for the 12th Man’s top dozen continues. He did enter, then exit, the transfer portal just recently, so perhaps more snaps on the field is in the near future for him. Jared Kerr was also a bit banged up, and the playing time for Bobby Taylor remains to be seen. Jacoby Matthews has size but was in and out of spring ball. Granted, that’s to be expected when you have a handful of younger players that are bound to face a learning curve. Outside of the aforementioned names, it gets a bit spotty when it comes to safety depth. When it’s all said and done, there’s a chance he could lend just as great of an impact as Johnson did before him. If there was one name in this unit to keep an eye out for a potential breakout season, it’s Anderson. The fit makes sense as he should thrive with his physicality and athleticism, but don’t rule out a possible shift to one of the safety spots in the near future.

He’s currently slotted in as a nickel corner, which means he’ll likely fill the void left by Antonio Johnson. That consensus belief seems justified as he was named one of the team’s defensive MVPs during the Maroon and White game.Īnderson was rated as a four-star coming out of high school and already has a bevy of experience underneath him after logging snaps as a backup last year, as well as on special teams.

Perhaps the biggest x-factor of this unit is sophomore Bryce Anderson, who many coaches and observers noted was one of the best performers during the Aggies 2023 spring football program. Gilbert has improved his tackling and feels primed to make a leap in run support after being graded 43.9 in run defense by PFF in 2022. He’s fine-tuned his ability to see plays as they develop and anticipate routes for pass breakups. Richardson has gotten better in coverage over the last few seasons and was graded 66.4 in coverage per PFF (393rd out of all safeties). Richardson returns for his fifth season while Gilbert heads back for his third, and the fact that both have improved year-over-year should spell great things for this unit in 2023. Headling the backend unit for the Aggies are two experienced starters in Demani Richardson and Jardin Gilbert. With spring football in the rearview mirror, it leaves ample time to dissect what appears to be one of the stronger units on the Texas A&M roster in their safety group.
