Everyone knew coming into 2014 that the Aggies would be young, inexperience and rebuilding. Despite blowing expectations out of the water early, that’s exactly how the team looked by the end of the year.

The majority of the team returns for 2015. Still, there are a few key players leaving College Station that younger Aggies will have to step up in place of.

  • CB Deshazor Everett — Texas A&M’s defense was offensive in 2014, but Everett was one of the lone consistent players on that side of the ball. He was second on the team in tackles as a cornerback and played through an arm injury, simply because the Aggies needed him. There won’t be many experienced players ready to step up in Everett’s place, leaving John Chavis’ cupboard a little bare.
  • WR Malcome Kennedy — Kennedy was banged up for stretches in 2014, but he still provided the steadiest, most veteran presence in the Aggies receiving corps. The Aggies will need one of Speedy Noil, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones, not to mention incoming five-star Christian Kirk, to step up and be a reliable outlet for Kyle Allen and lead a group of talented pass catchers.
  • S Howard Matthews — The enduring image of Matthews is of him getting run over by LSU’s Leonard Fournette in the regular season finale, he was another of the more consistent performers for the Aggies defense. He led the team in tackles with 82, although many of them came far past the line of scrimmage. Armani Watts had some issues in 2014, and he’ll have to shore them up as he replaces Matthews.
  • LT Cedric Ogbuehi — Texas A&M’s offensive line wasn’t up to its usual standards in 2014, but Ogbuehi was mostly solid for the Aggies. While Germain Ifedi will shift over to left tackle after a good year at right tackle, that shuffling will weaken the line at other points. The Aggies haven’t done as great a job recruiting the offensive line since Kevin Sumlin took over, so it could be an area of concern.
  • Receivers coach/recruiting coordinator David Beaty — It’s uncommon for someone to go from position coach to head coach, but that’s just what Beaty did when he took over at Kansas. Beaty had a big hand in assembling the super-talented skill position players Texas A&M is loaded with. In the ultra-competitive recruiting landscape in Texas, the Aggies will have to hope there’s no drop off without Beaty.