No. 3 Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0 SEC) has yet to smell defeat this season after defeating Samford (1-11) 48-0 on Saturday afternoon, as starting quarterback Marcel Reed threw for 120 yards and three touchdowns before making his way to the bench just minutes before halftime. For head coach Mike Elko, pulling his starters as early as possible was a solid plan heading into a short week.
Set to face No. 16 Texas (8-3, 5-2 SEC) on the road to finish out the regular season, the Aggies should be the healthiest they’ve been all year heading into the week, and after missing five consecutive games, senior running back Le’Veon Moss has a chance to play for the first time in nearly two months as he recovers from his ankle injury.
Before the backups took over, Reed’s ascending connection with redshirt freshman wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman, who hauled in two of his signal caller’s three touchdowns, including a 58-yard score, Texas A&M’s passing game has been special this season, and has a chance to continue making an impact in the College Football Playoff.
Unlike previous games this season, the latest Pro Football Focus Grades were led by several rotational players who played extended snaps, including freshmen defensive linemen Marco Jones, Landon Rink, and Dealyn Evans.
Before taking on the Longhorns, here are the latest PFF grades after Texas A&M’s 48-0 win over Samford, focused on the top 8-rated players on both sides of the ball.
Offense
Junior running back Amari Daniels, who finished with a career high of 106 rushing yards, also earned a career high 84.4 rushing grade, while freshman back Tiger Riden scored his first career touchdown during his first snaps of the season.
Texas A&M’s offensive line was elite in pass protection, led by left tackle Trey Zuhn’s 84 pass pro grade, combined with six fellow O-linemen earning 80-plus pass pro marks. Something to note for the future: Backup quarterback Miles O’Neill did not have a solid outing, completing 3 of 7 passes for 19 yards and an interception, earning a poor 35.7 passing grade.
Defense
Texas A&M’s future defensive line rotation led the way, with defensive lineman Landon Rink being credited with a blocked kick and three tackles, and a prolific 89.7 run defense grade, paired with fellow freshman DL Dealyn Evans producing three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Freshman edge Marco Jones was all over the field, recording a team-high seven tackles, and while he wasn’t credited with any pressures or sacks, his instincts as a run defender (86.6) continue to stand out whenever the ball is snapped, and he has a bright future in front of him. In the secondary, safety Myles Davis was also elite against the run (87.0), while the Aggies allowed just seven receptions for 18 yards on the day.
Even better, Texas A&M missed just one tackle, which, no matter the opponent, is a step in the right direction.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Notable Pro Football Focus grades after Texas A&M’s 48-0 win
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
