Texas A&M Football: 5 players to watch in 2017 spring game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:49 p.m. ET

Fansided, Collin Wieder/FanSided via Saturday Blitz

Texas A&M football's spring game will feature a big-time, three-player quarterback battle, but multiple players need to showcase big improvements this spring.

In what will be Kevin Sumlin's make or break season, the Maroon and White Spring Game features key players trying to save his job. Texas A&M football suffered through three consecutive 8-5 seasons and needs at least nine wins to keep Sumlin afloat. In order to do so, the Aggies need a capable leader under center.

Furthermore, they need a reloaded defense on top of their returning 2016 talent. The Aggies lost both edge rushers, which means the middle needs to be the hammer. It will make for an interesting 2017 with Sumlin's job at stake. He'll have plenty of playmakers to help him get there, but will it be enough?

The entire season really comes down to quarterback development. Sumlin failed in two of the previous three seasons to create strong quarterback play. Trevor Knight put together a successful 2016, but his graduation leaves a void someone will have to fill.

Here are five players to watch during the 2017 spring game.

Nick Starkel

QB, Texas A&M

Texas A&M's dark horse to win the quarterback battle is redshirt freshman Nick Starkel. The Liberty Christians product is the tall, pocket passer of the group. He stands at 6-foot-3 but carries a lanky 195-pound frame. He throws a beautiful deep ball with nice touch and showed he could make most throws in high school.

The second-year player's production was respectable in high school. He threw for 4,700 yards, 48 touchdowns against 18 interceptions as a two-year starter. However, his 58.7 completion percentage doesn't jump off the screen.

Starkel has had a year to sit and watch during his redshirt season, so he should have a leg up on incoming freshman Kellen Mond. However, his less-than-ideal athleticism hurts his chances at the job. The Aggies' offense likes to run zone reads and he's not a great option for that. With running backs Keith Ford and Trayveon Williams back, the Aggies will want to take advantage of that. I think he's still an important player to watch, because he's still in the battle, and college football is unpredictable.

Aug 27, 2016; Loganville, GA, USA; IMG Academy quarterback Kellen Mond (11) runs for a touchdown against the Grayson Rams during the first half in a high school football duel of top ranked teams at Grayson Community Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Kellen Mond

QB, Texas A&M

Kellen Mond represents the highly-touted signal caller of the group. He's not know as much for his passing prowess, but more for his athleticism and winning pedigree. He rushed for 757 yards (sacks yardage subtracted) and 17 touchdowns in his one year at IMG Academy. He also led the Ascenders to a perfect, 11-0 season.

If there's a quarterback on this list that can fill Trevor Knight's void its Mond. He's got a similar game to Knight being a more effective runner first and foremost. However, he's a respectable passer too. He showed off a nice deep ball, but his inconsistency on the every down passes was noted during his high school career.

He completed just 99-of-178 passes for 1,803 yards, 19 touchdowns against three interceptions. His production might be a tad skewed though, as his strength of schedule was she of the best in the country. Either way, he's in the battle for the top spot with Hubenak and that makes him a player of interest this spring.

Dec 28, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Texas A&M football defensive lineman Daylon Mack (5) and defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) attempt to block a point after touchdown by the Kansas State Wildcats during the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Daylon Mack

DT, Texas A&M

Texas A&M football used two dominant edge rushers in Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall to set the tone on defense. Obviously, those two players are headed to the NFL. Garrett is the consensus No. 1 pick, while Hall is a mid-rounder. With these two NFL-ready rushers gone, someone needs to step up on the defensive line.

The inside of the defensive line returns both defensive tackles with Zaycoven Henderson, Kingsley Keke and Daylon Mack. Henderson comes back after recording 81 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in his first three seasons and will be key to the Aggies' success.

Kingsley put together a nice 2016 season with 37 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Nevertheless, both have produced at a strong level in comparison to Mack.

Mack entered A&M with loads of hype courtesy of his five-star ranking. He's played in each of his first two seasons, but isn't producing at a five-star level just yet. He disappeared at times recording just 57 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in two seasons. If he can step up and play at a high level, the Aggies will dominate with their front four.

Nov 5, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA;Texas A&M football wide receiver Christian Kirk (3) carries the ball pursued by Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Richie Brown (39) during the third quarter of the game at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State won 35-28. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Kirk

WR, Texas A&M

The SEC's most dynamic receiver and maybe the nation's most dynamic wide out is A&M's Christian Kirk. He's all-around athlete that can create big plays at wide out or in the return game. In his first two seasons, he caught 163 passes for 1,937 yards and 16 touchdowns leading the Aggies in receptions both seasons. At just 5-foot-11 and 200-pounds, he's seen as just a slot.

Kirk plays a much more versatile game stretching the field on deep balls or catching a screen and taking it the distance. His quickness in small spaces creates nice separation even in the red zone. In the return game, he's just as impressive. Teams had a full year to prepare of him after he averaged 24.4 yards per return scoring two touchdowns in the process.

The end result, he returned three touchdowns to the house the next season. He'll be the quarterback's best friend especially with the void left by Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones. His spring will be interesting to watch simply because of his chemistry and development with a new quarterback under center.

Nov 19, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M football quarterback Jake Hubenak (10) passes against the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Jake Hubenak

QB, Texas A&M

Senior signal caller Jake Hubenak may be a surprise at the No. 1 spot to many, but he's the leader in the quarterback battle. According to 247 Sports, Hubenak is in the lead early in spring practice. His progression in his final spring will be extremely vital. Hubenak showed he can be a capable player at the quarterback position.

Hubenak's experience mixed with respectable production make him the best option. He isn't the flashy pick, but he could bring the Aggies back to the efficient passing days. The passing game put up huge numbers from 2012 to 2014, but they failed to produce at the same pace in 2015 and last season. Knight did a brilliant job of diversifying the offense into a run-based attack, but he completed passes at a below average rate.

Hubenak has thrown for 1,283 yards, nine touchdowns and just three interceptions during his career. He's a much more polished passer than any quarterback on the roster and than Knight was last year. His drawbacks are his lower end scrambling ability. He's a decent athlete that can make throws on the run, but he's not Mond or Knight in that manner.

If the senior quarterback can get the ball into the Aggies' playmaker's hands, the offense could be potent. A nice one-two punch at running back mixed with an electrifying playmaker at wide out will help Hubenak prepare for a strong season.