College Football

Texas A&M Football: All-Sumlin Era Defensive Players

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:11 p.m. ET

Fansided, Matthew Bartlett/FanSided via Gig Em Gazette

Oct 8, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) in action during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kyle Field. The Aggies defeat the Volunteers 45-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas A&M football team has seen a resurgence under Kevin Sumlin. Here’s our look at the best of the best Sumlin-era defensive players.

Defensive Line

DE, Myles Garrett

Garrett was in the Heisman discussion in 2015 and projects as a top of the first round draft pick, if not the number one overall selection. He had an injury plagued 2016, but he’s is without question the best defensive player that Sumlin has coached at Texas A&M.

DT, Spencer Nealy

If Garrett is the coaches favorite, Nealy is the fan favorite. This quote from Sumlin sums him up the best:

“Spencer is one of those guys college football is all about,” A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “I don’t know how he does it, but he does it. You wish he was bigger and faster, but don’t tell him that. He thinks he’s King Kong, and it’s contagious.” –Brent Zwerneman

For the majority of Nealy’s tenure, he fought for stats on a defensive line that included Superbowl MVP Von Miller and Damontre Moore. He finished his career with 21 TFLs and 4.5 sacks, not bad, considering who his teammates were.

DE, Damonte Moore

Moore was a third round pick of the New York Giants in 2013 following a Junior season in which he registered 21 TFL and 12.5 sacks, earning All American-Honors. Moore totaled 26.5 sacks in three years at Texas A&M, the second most of any Aggie (Von Miller had 33) in the past 20 years.

Honorable mention: Daeshon Hall

Next: Linebackers

Sep 5, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Shaan Washington (33) tries to tackle Arizona State Sun Devils running back Demario Richard (4) at NRG Stadium. Aggies won 38 to 17. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Linebackers

I’m not going to lie. It was a lot harder to pick this position group than the rest of them, and it wasn’t because I had too many good options to choose from. We’ve seen promise from a few young guys who are on the team right now, perhaps they make it on the list before their A&M careers are over.

OLB, Steven Jenkins

A JUCO transfer, Jenkins played just two seasons at Texas A&M. As a senior, Jenkins was the only player on the Aggie defense to register at least four tackles in every game during the 2012 season. His pick six before half against Ole Miss set A&M up for their first ever road victory in the SEC.

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MLB, Sean Porter

Porter was a four year starter at Texas A&M, wrapping us his career in Sumin’s first season in the SEC. Sumlin hasn’t coached a linebacker as versatile as Porter, who was strong at the line of scrimmage (14.5 sacks / 34.5 TFL) but still able to drop into coverage (8 passes defended, 1 interception). Porter was a 4th round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals.

OLB, Shaan Washington

As a senior, Washington was a dependable member of the Aggie linebacker corps under Kevin Sumlin, playing in 44 games, making 93 solo tackles, forcing five fumbles and recovering three of them.

Washington quietly did his part, an unheralded member of a defense with several all-conference players. Make no mistake, this guy was a talented player.

Honorable mention: Donnie Baggs

Next: Secondary

Oct 8, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Armani Watts (23) intercepts a pass by Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (not pictured) to seal the win during the second overtime at Kyle Field. The Aggies defeated the Volunteers 45-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Secondary

CB, Deshazor Everett

Everett owns the most important interception that A&M has ever had in the SEC, picking off Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron to secure the Aggies upset victory over the top ranked Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa in 2012. Everett had a pick six in all three of his SEC seasons, ranking sixth all time in the SEC.

S, Justin Evans

Evans exemplifies the passion of the Aggie Spirit on every play. No defender plays with more intensity on every play than Evans. A JUCO transfer, Evans led the Aggies in 2016 with four interceptions and had more passes defended (eight) as the rest of the A&M safeties combined.

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S, Armani Watts

Perhaps the best play maker Sumlin has coached at Texas A&M, Watts has consistently found a way to make big plays when the game is on the line. In overtime against Tennessee he picked off quarterback Josh Dobbs to secure the Aggie victory.

Watts forced four fumbles and intercepted six passes in his A&M career, leading the team in total tackles in 2015 with 126. He has one year of eligibility remaining and he has already announced his intention to return for his senior year.

CB, Brandon Williams

If you search “Brandon Williams” at Sports-Reference, you’ll see he’s listed as a running back, and he was for his first three years of college football. At the urging of defensive coordinator John Chavis, Williams switched to corner following his Junior season.

As a senior, Williams was second on the team in passes defended, he had seven while De’Vante Harris had eight. Williams was drafted in the third round by the Arizona Cardinals and plays corner at the highest level of football after just one season at the position in college.

Nickle, Donovan Wilson

Even against the run-heavy offenses of the SEC, Sumlin has chosen to run a 4-2-5 base defensive scheme. Wilson is so talented that it’s worth sacrificing an additional linebacker to keep him on the field.

Wilson can do it all. In three years he has forced three fumbles, defended five passes, picked off six passes, and registered 16 TFL and 3.0 sacks. A true ball-hawk, he’ll probably go down as one of the best nicklebacks to ever play for Kevin Sumlin.

Honorable mention: De’Vante Harris

***Stats from Sports Reference, 12thMan.com***