Player development key piece to Texas A&M Football's 2017 puzzle

Before photos could be taken on a telephone – even before digital cameras – there was the technological stone age.

Back then, the now-extinct Fotomat inhabited the parking lot of basically every strip mall. This dinosaur thrived because it offered one-day film development, which was then considered break-neck speed.

Alas, with the late ‘80s came the rise of minilabs, which offered one-hour developing. That rendered Fotomat obsolete. Success depended upon the speed of development.

Which brings us to Texas A&M football.

Almost seven months remain before the Aggies begin the 2017 football season in the Rose Bowl against UCLA. The key to A&M’s success next season will be how quickly some new players – many coming in one of the nation’s highest-rated recruiting classes – develop in those seven months.

In a perfect world, the incoming freshmen would sit out redshirt years or be relegated to special teams. Perhaps they’d provide depth for experienced and proven starters. But at Texas A&M, much more is needed from them.

Aggie coach Kevin Sumlin and his staff can definitely recruit. That is evident in the fact Sumlin’s recruiting classes are routinely ranked among the nation’s top 20. Three have been rated among the top 10.

However, the Aggies seem to have issues developing players. That’s evident after A&M's three consecutive 8-5 finishes. The Aggies have fared no better than fourth in the SEC West Division for four straight years.

On the plus side, though, Sumlin’s coaching staff is now infested with experienced assistants, particularly Jim Turner, David Turner, Ron Cooper, Noel Mazzone and John Chavis, with impressive track records in developing talent. They will need to be at their best this year.

The Aggies should be strong at running back with Keith Ford and Trayveon Williams. They will be equally stout at safety with the returns of Donovan Wilson and Armani Watts. Defensive tackle figures to be a position of strength with good depth and productive starters in Kingsley Keke and Zaycoven Henderson.

The offensive line also projects to be better with four returning starters, though Jim Turner obviously has work to do.

However, quarterback, receiver, defensive end and linebacker are unquestionably positions of concern and areas in which newcomers could make immediate positive impacts. Of course, senior Jake Hubenak has been a solid backup, but there’s certainly concern whether he can flourish in a starring role. However, he’s the only quarterback on the roster with collegiate playing experience.

Nick Starkel has drawn some praise for what he showed in a redshirt year. Incoming freshman Kellen Mond is rated among the nation’s best quarterback prospects in the 2017 class. Incoming freshman Connor Blumrick wasn’t intimidated by Mond’s decision to come to A&M, so that’s a positive sign.

But the fact remains none have played a down of college football. No matter the player’s talent level, there is period of adjustment that sometimes takes an entire year.

However, Brock Osweiler at Arizona State and Brett Hundley and Drew Rosen at UCLA had immediate success under Mazzone’s guidance. Hundley passed for 3,745 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first year with Mazzone. Rosen threw for 3,670 yards and 23 touchdowns as a freshman.

Maybe one of A&M’s quarterbacks will duplicate that production under Mazzone’s guidance.

Christian Kirk is as good and explosive as any receiver in the country. Everybody knows that, so he’ll routinely draw double coverage. So the Aggies need another receiver or two to emerge as productive alternative targets.

But who will step up? Josh Reynolds completed his eligibility, and Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil opted for early entry into the NFL draft. That leaves the Aggies with no returning receivers with more than six catches last season.

Transfer Kirk Merritt has great speed and could emerge as a deep threat, even though he caught just three passes for 13 yards while at Oregon in 2015. The greatest impact figures to be made by incoming freshman Jhamon Ausbon, a big target who appears ready – at least physically – to immediately contend for a starting job.

The Aggie corners struggled in coverage last season, despite getting help from a Myles Garrett-led pass rush that produced 39 sacks. Garrett and opposite end Daeshon Hall are gone now.

That leaves A&M with two ends – Jarrett Johnson and Qualen Cunningham – who combined for 5.5 sacks in ’16. Either could raise his total – and his profile – now that the two figure to take over starting jobs.

Junior college transfer Micheal Clemons, redshirt freshman Justin Madubuike and incoming freshmen Tyree Johnson and Ondario Robinson may pick up at least some of the slack that Garrett and Hall leave. Perhaps somebody will switch positions to bolster the end position and boost the pass rush.

A&M’s linebacker play has been disappointing since 2013. That’s especially been the case inside where linebackers just haven’t demonstrated instincts to fill holes and stop running plays at the point of contact.

The Aggies have never hesitated to play freshmen, and that trend may continue with heralded recruit Anthony Hines coming in. He has the size and reportedly the instincts to not only play right away, but to upgrade the level of performance inside. Sophomore Tyrel Dodson should be ready to make a larger contribution, too.

If prospects at quarterback, receiver, defensive end and linebacker quickly develop into effective college football players, the Aggies could again reach – and perhaps even exceed – eight wins in 2017.

And if they don’t develop come December, this coaching staff could disappear like Fotomats.