Offense generally isn’t a big area of concern for Texas A&M under Kevin Sumlin, so when the defense dominates a preseason scrimmage the way it reportedly did this weekend, that’s a good sign for the Aggies.

Yes, the defense is giving Texas A&M fans something to be optimistic about in its first season under new coordinator John Chavis. Though the defensive line might be leading the way, Armani Watts is showing star potential at safety. Watts returns to the starting lineup after a freshman season in which he accounted for three of the Aggie’s five interceptions and also had 59 tackles and nine pass breakups.

This season is looking like an opportunity for Watts to be even better. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound sophomore should benefit from a new system that has cornerbacks playing a tighter press coverage. The Aggies also added junior college safety Justin Evans and so far he and Watts look like a great pairing.

Evans coming on board allowed Watts to move to free safety while Evans will get the start at strong safety. Watts is a speedy defensive back who has outstanding closing speed and excels in coverage in addition to having a nose for the ball, making free safety a natural fit. But perhaps even more important has been the discovery in the spring and throughout the preseason that Watts and Evans are at least somewhat interchangeable. With the ability to move the safeties around and mix up the coverages, there’s a good chance Watts can become even more of a playmaker for the Aggies in 2015.

Texas A&M will ask for a lot from Watts, who was a bit inconsistent starting eight games as a freshman despite the big play ability. Donovan Wilson will back up Watts and Evans, but is coming off a shoulder injury and missed spring practice, so health and depth is a bit of a concern for the unit.

But Sumlin and the staff are extremely high on Watts as the opening week of the season draws near.

“Armani’s probably playing as good as he’s played,” Sumlin recently told reporters at an A&M practice. “If he can be more consistent this year than he was last year, he could be an all-league type of player. He’s played enough big games for us and he understands his weaknesses.

“I think he’s really worked hard in the offseason because he’s had some really, really great games, [and] he’s had some duds and that experience I think has helped him in the offseason try to develop not only physically but mentally [on] what he needs to do to be successful.”

And if Watts has individual success there’s a good chance the Aggies, as a team, will be able to call 2015 a successful season.