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A roller coaster ride isn’t what head coach Jimbo Fisher was hoping for in Year 2 at Texas A&M. But that’s exactly what the former national champion has experienced in the first 4 games of 2019.
But the team isn’t without talented players. With that in mind, we take a look at a list of Texas A&M’s top 10 players so far.
10. Charles Oliver
Reached double digits in tackles this season with 10, so the senior DB has already played an integral part of the defense. In addition to 9 solo tackles, including a season-high 4 on Saturday against Auburn, he recorded his first tackle for loss and second pass breakup. Oliver also has a fumble recovery to his credit in 2019.
9. Demani Richardson
He’s tied for 2nd on the team with 10 solo tackles.
The freshman DB is playing a key role in shoring up A&M’s beleaguered secondary. His 15 tackles already this season ranks 3rd on the team.
8. Quartney Davis
He’s 2nd on the team averaging 75.3 receiving yards per game.
Davis is another favorite target in a talented Aggies’ receiving corps. He is averaging 5.3 receptions in 3 games and has displayed big-play ability, averaging 14.1 yards per reception.
7. Anthony Hines III
He leads the Aggies with 13 solo tackles.
The sophomore linebacker is rounding into beast mode with a season-high 6 tackles on Saturday against Auburn. That total that included a tackle behind the line of scrimmage. His 17 tackles are tied for 2nd on the team.
6. Braden Mann
Mann is 2nd in the SEC in punting with a 48-yard average on 16 punts.
A lethal weapon again this season, the All-American turned in his best game on Saturday in the loss to Auburn, averaging 56 yards on 6 punts.
5. Jhamon Ausbon
Leads the team and is 5th in the SEC averaging 91 receiving yards per game.
Emerging as the Mond’s go-to receiver with more than 100 receiving yards in each of the past 2 games, Ausbon has already hauled in 25 passes for 364 yards and 2 touchdowns this season. He can be a big-play guy as well. His 41-yard reception is the team’s 2nd-longest play of 2019.
4. Kellen Mond
Are you surprised to learn he’s 3rd in the SEC with 1,082 yards passing? That’s despite facing Clemson and Auburn.
Just playing the most important position on the field should land you in the top 5. Mond has the weight of the team on his shoulders. He’s 2nd in the SEC with an average of 36.5 pass attempts per game this season. And despite the loss to Auburn, he did not turn the ball over for the first time in 2019.
3. Buddy Johnson
He leads the Aggies with 20 tackles.
A consistent defender at linebacker, Johnson has recorded tackles for loss in 3 games. He assisted on 6 tackles against Auburn, a key reason he leads the team with 13 assisted tackles for the season.
2. Justin Madubuike
He leads A&M and is tied for 6th in the SEC with 4 tackles for loss.
A real disrupter, the junior lineman has 1 sack and 3 QB hurries to go along with 10 tackles in 4 games.
1. Roney Elam
He is tied for SEC lead with 2 interceptions and tied for 5th in the conference with 4 passes defended.
A leader in a revitalized secondary, the senior has really stepped into a prominent role. It really hurt the secondary not having him in the game against Auburn. Fisher did not elaborate on why Elam did not play, saying only that Elam was not available for the game.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
