Take Two: Will Fisher lead Texas A&M to top five recruiting class?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
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THE STORYLINE
Jimbo Fisher is off to a phenomenal recruiting start at Texas A&M and the Aggies might not be done yet.
Texas A&M is currently second in the team recruiting rankings and if it can stay in that spot, it would be the highest finish ever for the SEC squad, with all this work being accomplished before Fisher even coaches a game in College Station.
Five-star offensive tackle Kenyon Green leads the impressive class and then defensive backs Erick Young and Brian Williams lead the top four-star commits.
The Aggies’ coaching staff has targeted the top in-state players and they’ve had tremendous success landing three of the top six (Oklahoma has two and Texas has one) from Texas. Only Alabama is ranked higher than the Aggies in the team recruiting rankings and only Ole Miss (24 pledges to Texas A&M’s 22) has more commits among Power Five schools.
Texas A&M’s best finish in Rivals.com history dating back to 2002 is sixth in 2014.
Is it any surprise that Fisher is doing this well, so early, and can the Aggies hang onto a top five spot by National Signing Day?
FIRST TAKE: MARK PASSWATERS, AGGIEYELL.COM
“Fisher came to A&M with a clear vision on how he was going to approach recruiting. He was going to hit Texas first, but wouldn't be afraid to go national. The pitch was simple: you're playing in the best conference, with the best facilities, for a national championship-winning coach -- and if football doesn't work out, the Aggie Network is there to back you. He has repeatedly said it's a 40-year decision, not a four-year one.
“In order to keep the No. 2 spot, though, A&M will have to finish strong. It appears they can do that, considering where they stand with some major four-star recruits. The Aggies appear to have the edge with DE Marcus Stripling and are near or at the top for Adisa Isaac and David Ugwoegbu. At linebacker, they lead for former LSU commit Zach Edwards and look to be doing well with Baton Rouge's Christian Harris.
Add in some mix of CB Jeffery Carter, WR Dylan Wright, TE Jaylen Wydermyer and perhaps someone unexpected -- Deyavie Hammond? Ishmael Sopsher? -- with their remaining spots and the Aggies will be positioned for a new best-ever class.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“He can recruit this well for sure. I don’t know if they’ll finish second. We have a long to go before we determine who’s No. 1 through No. 5.
“Jimbo was a great recruiter at Florida State, he was a great recruiter as an assistant. The guy can definitely recruit, so when he went to Texas A&M I fully expected him to recruit well. I expect Tom Herman to recruit well, I expect Lincoln Riley to recruit well. The dynamic between those three coaches all recruiting the heck out of the Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma area is going to be very interesting.
“There’s no doubt Fisher is one of the top probably five or six recruiters in college football.”