Jalen Wydermyer was a frequent factor in Texas A&M’s early success Saturday.

The sophomore tight end from Dickson, Texas, corralled 2 touchdown catches in the 2nd quarter as the Aggies pulled away early from South Carolina. He exuded a swagger, dancing in celebration on his 2nd entrance into the end zone.

That has been a common sight this season. In a year when the receiving corps has been hit hard, Wydermyer has seen his involvement in the passing game increase. His pair of scores Saturday increased his season total to 4, and he is on pace to best himself in receptions, yardage and touchdowns from his freshman season.

Wydermyer was a 4-star prospect when he joined the Aggies last year, according to 247Sports. That potential was evident immediately. Although A&M also had the No. 1 tight end prospect of 2019 in Baylor Cupp, it was Wydermyer who earned playing time as a freshman. He finished with 32 catches for 447 yards and 6 touchdowns.

He was a second-team All-SEC selection last year and is only improving. With Kellen Mond losing top receiver Jhamon Ausbon to an opt-out weeks before the season, Wydermyer has benefitted. His size — 6-foot-5, 255 pounds — makes him an elite red-zone target.

But as coach Jimbo Fisher attested Saturday, Wydermyer’s impact extends past his ability as a pass catcher.

“He has all the tools,” Fisher said. “He can run. He can catch. And now he’s learning to be physical as a blocker. You can use him in different ways. Our offensive line has gotten better, but he’s gotten better, and that’s been a big part of our run game. Being able to block those ends. He is a very talented young guy, and I think the sky’s the limit for him.”

Wydermyer boasted about how balanced the Aggies’ offense was following Saturday’s 48-3 victory, and he is right. A&M is averaging 443.7 yards per game, which ranks 29th in the country. They rank among the top 50 in both rushing and passing offense, and they have surpassed 500 yards twice during their 4-game winning streak.

What Wydermyer neglected to mention is that he has been a huge part of that. Anyone who has watched an A&M game this season has likely heard Wydermyer’s name more than a few times. He has twice led the Aggies in receiving in 2020.

Wydermyer has heated up in the past couple of games, too. All of his touchdowns have come in that span, though don’t expect him to slow down. He appears to be figuring things out midway through his 2nd collegiate season.

A&M is emerging as a contender, as the Aggies are up to No. 5 in the latest AP poll. The offense seemed to struggle in the first 2 games of the season, but it has been smooth sailing ever since. Mond and Spiller will deservedly take a lot of the credit for the success, as will the offensive line.

But Wydermyer’s emergence has coincided with the Aggies’ taking off and stringing together dominant performances. He said after Saturday’s game that this offense feels like it can do whatever it wants right now. Without him on the roster, that might not be the case.