Assessing Texas A&M's 2016 recruiting class entering this summer

After finishing ninth, fifth and 11th the last three years nationally, touting the Swagcopter, Johnny Manziel’s Heisman Trophy and huge renovations to Kyle Field, Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M have set a high standard in recruiting.

The Aggies have claimed players like Speedy Noil, Christian Kirk, Kyler Murray and Myles Garrett.

Meanwhile, the offensive line has deteriorated piece by piece, drafted into the NFL. And the defensive personnel remains patchwork in coordinator John Chavis’ first season in College Station.

So the 2016 class may not be as sexy, and potentially won’t be rated as well nationally. But A&M now is in position to shop for a few specific needs that could make the team much better in the next two or three years.

Landing a commitment from the highest-rated offensive lineman in the country, five-star tackle Gregory Little, is an effective and much-needed get. The team already has secured a pair of tall cornerbacks in Travon Fuller and Charles Oliver. A&M also appears on track to land at least one high-profile safety, signaling the chance for big-time improvement in the defensive backfield in the near future.

A few more sure-tackling defensive linemen and linebackers would make nice additions to this ’16 class. But overall, A&M appears to have a smart game plan that features a tailored shopping list, which the team is well on its way to crossing off.

ASSESSING TEXAS A&M’S 2016 CLASS

Current commits or enrollees: 8 (avg. star 3.4; last year: 3.8)
Current big-name targets: S Brandon Jones, S Eric Monroe, S Deontay Anderson and DE Justin Madubuike
Biggest positions of need: DE, CB and RB
National/SEC rank: 21/9

NOTABLE COMMITS