2023 DE Anthony James commits to Texas A&M
THE SITUATION
Class of 2023 defensive end Anthony James wanted to waste little time wrestling with his recruitment. So when Feb. 11 arrived, the talented Wylie (Texas) East standout made his future plans known.
James committed to Texas A&M on Thursday, putting an early bow on his recruitment after turning in a stellar sophomore season. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder pledged to the Aggies over Georgia, LSU, Arizona State, Utah and Texas.
James is the first member of the Aggies' 2023 recruiting class.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
"I’m a private guy .. and my family is as well. So I value building the relationships early. I really studied these schools and with the pandemic, I wanted to make a decision earlier so I can start focusing on getting better, and hopefully, graduate early and be ready to go that fall. I’m trusting my heart and my research. I don’t need a lot of offers or time when it feels good."
"Coach (Tommie) Robinson and (Terry) Price have always been straight up with me. I feel the relationship I’ve built with them is more then football. Having a plan and knowing what I want and what my family wants is amazing. Although I’m Class of 2023, Coach (Jimbo) Fisher expressed how important I am with what they are building. You can see it with the way they are recruiting .. I want to compete with the best, so that’s part of my decision."
"A&M sees me as a strongside end. I see myself being able to play both sides .. if needed. I’ve been flexible through high school and I want to be an asset. They want to take advantage of my speed and power and just cause havoc. Being able to play the strongside is what I wanted. Football wasn’t a hard sell. SEC football in Texas is dope."
RIVALS REACTION
James caught the attention of Power 5 schools across the country with impressive sub-varsity team as a freshman in 2019, then made a seamless transition to the varsity level at Wylie (Texas) East this past fall.
The defensive end plays on both sides of the line and has a frame to fill out as a true strongside defensive. He is strong off the edge and shows the ability to fight through blockers to get to the ball. He plays with a high motor and fantastic closing speed.
James clocked a 4.69-second 40 last July at an Under Armour camp in Durant, Okla. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds with elite burst, he has an excellent blend of speed and length for the position.
James has shown the ability to effectively set the edge in the running game and good balance to recover and reset to impact plays. He's flashed in spurts as a sophomore and we're anxious to see what's in store as a junior after another full offseason of training.