TexAgs' recruiting analyst Ryan Brauninger joined TexAgs Radio on Wednesday morning for another edition of Recruiting Country, highlighting the latest news and notes from the recruiting and transfer portal trail surrounding Texas A&M.
Key notes from Recruiting Country
- Things spread like wildfire. I wasn't aware of some of the stuff that was being taken from us and put on social media nearly verbatim by a lot of different folks. It's just unfortunate. It’s crazy that people come up with anonymous social media accounts and try to rip news because they want followers or internet clout. It’s a bizarre dynamic.
- We are proud of the coverage we have put out so far. We will continue to do the best we can. This stuff changes almost every 30 minutes. It's like recruiting high school players on a David Nuño steroid or bulking cycle.
- The enrollment date is Jan. 13, but the more important date is add/drop. All important dates are in Jason Howell’s Premium article. These kids who play for playoff teams have an extended window to go into the portal. I can’t imagine that if a kid wanted to come to Texas A&M, LSU or Arkansas after the add/drop date, and they were on a playoff team, I can’t imagine that the university would disallow that. If you don't allow someone to leave now, you will go to court. The precedent is you will lose the case if you are the institution or NCAA.
- Here is why getting Jacob Zeno was important. What did we say after the Texas game when we looking at the portal market, and you have to take inventory of your current roster? It felt like Conner Weigman and Jaylen Henderson were going to move on. That left you with Marcel Reed, Miles O’Neill, Brady Hart, who will be 16 when he enrolls, and Eli Morcos.
- Zeno was class of 2019. To give yourself as much insurance as possible, you had criteria of what you were looking for in the portal. It was an old, experienced guy, and if he had ties to the state of Texas and wanted to come back home, it would be great.
- Zeno has good football left in him, and that is why you got him. You don't want to get into a situation where you have super-inexperienced players against an SEC schedule. He had the criteria they were looking for, and they went and did it early. That gives you a weight off your shoulders, so now you can turn your portal horizons into other positions.
- Our transfer portal tracker is nearing 982,000 views in just over nine days.
- The big one we are monitoring today, post-visit, is Micah Hudson. He was in town for two days. There is still some stuff he has to finish academic wise at Texas Tech. These guys are still balancing the end of their semesters. It's not an easy timetable.
- A&M did a good job with Hudson. A&M came in a leg up on the competition for Hudson because he was comfortable coming here as a recruit. Through the recruiting process, Jason and I thought A&M was in a better spot to get him than a lot of folks nationally probably did.
- Hudson met with Holmon Wiggins extensively and Mike Elko extensively. Today, you have seen a couple of national writers put in predictions for A&M to land him. I don't think it's over the line yet. I think it's close.
- Hudson’s intentions going into the portal were to take a few visits. Not a bunch, but a few. LSU is making a hard push to get him. Oklahoma could try to get on the list. I think there is less of a window for Hudson to get on the field at Texas. They could try to gatekeep. I don't anticipate it currently. I would give A&M the clearest chance to get Hudson right now.
- Hudson does very little media, so much so that he deleted his Twitter/X and Instagram.
- I think they could get a running back. They may go get the best available. Billy Liucci has said they anticipate Le’Veon Moss being back sooner than they thought. Rueben Owens will be a full year removed from that injury he had. You have Amari Daniels, Deondrae Riden and Jamarion Morrow. That is five scholarship backs. Those freshmen are talented but different. Running back is not being given the priority that some other positions are seeing. Maybe you see that in the spring window.
- With receivers, they will be very active. Mario Craver will be in town tomorrow, out of Mississippi State. Barion Brown, out of Kentucky, is super fast. His numbers took a dip, but he has incredible metrics. He has been an impact returner.
- Nic Anderson, originally out of Katy High School, is from Oklahoma. He was redshirted in 2022. In 2023, he had a sensational year and was a freshman All-American. In 2024, he missed with injury. He has only played one full season in three years. That being said, this kid would come in and impact what A&M does on day one if the Aggies get him. He is a big-time NFL-caliber receiver. He comes in and flips your room immediately. A kid of his caliber, he is hearing from everybody.
- I could sit here and talk for an hour on this stuff. The term “fair market value” is being thrown around by agents, and what it means when brought up does not match the definition of those words. Agencies get guys signed for the most money possible, and that's how they make money.
- A guy like Anderson will have to field a bunch of those offers. Kevin Concepcion, out of NC State, is a really good player. He was going to come in this week, but there was some finagling done by rival programs in the conference to get ahead of A&M. I still believe A&M will get him on campus. You worry about getting the third or fourth visit.
- They could take three or four receivers.
- You are intrigued by what happened in Lubbock with Hudson. You want to know why he wasn't on the field more. He is a year removed from being one of the best high school receivers I have ever watched. It was Garrett Wilson type of stuff. He had a bit of a knee problem. A&M knows what the best version of Hudson looks like, and if you pull it out of him, he is a difference-maker.
- Micah Riley is a big-bodied kid. In three years at Auburn, his first year, he redshirted. In 2023, he played in all games. He played in all 12 games this year. He is a blocker. We saw how many teams the Aggies went to the line of scrimmage with multiple tight ends in line. Collin Klein likes to use that piece. He is not a super high profile in terms of numbers, but he is a roster need.
- At offensive line, I am in the process of updating our tracker and adding a visit from Isaiah World, who is a massive offensive tackle who played at Nevada last year. He did not allow a sack. He is 6-foot-8 and 340 pounds. The Aggies are expecting him on Friday and Saturday.
- If Trey Zuhn III leaves, you will need somebody. You could be in a good spot where you return eight or nine guys that you feel good about. That's not even with Mark Nabou Jr. They could take one tackle prospect if they feel it upgrades the room.
- You haven't had too much attrition in the portal defensively. They are bringing in a couple. Jaylon Braxton is from Frisco Lone Star originally and played at Arkansas.
- Julian Humphrey is from Clear Lake. A&M recruited him but never pulled the trigger. He went to Georgia and went to the portal last year, but Kirby Smart convinced him to stay. You will do a lot of homework on that. Corner is a position that, if it is the right guy, they will take. They feel good about what they have on campus.
- I haven't heard much in terms of safety or getting guys to campus.
- Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton have officially declared for the NFL Draft. There have been offers going out for the defensive line. There are a couple of Florida guys that have gone in that Sean Spencer knows. Kelby Collins is a really talented player. Alabama is going to be a real thorn in A&M’s side there. He is from Alabama. He will visit A&M this week.
- Jack Pyburn is another kid who played a ton for Florida. The Aggies will have a good shot with him. James Williams from Nebraska, Will Heldt from Purdue... Jimari Butler is on campus right now.
- Princewill Umanmielen is from Manor, Texas, and played at Nebraska. It will be interesting to see how that position unravels itself.
- Max Klare’s tape is sensational. I think A&M will get him on campus, but I don't know of dates that have been finalized. He is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the portal.
