IN FOCUS: Linebackers

12thman.com's coverage of the 2017 Training Camp is brought to you by:

John Chavis knows this group must improve.  Fortunately, they have the potential to make great strides.

Otaro Alaka and Tyrel Dodson look to become anchors on the defense.  Alaka enters his junior campaign, and his 74 tackles last year tops the list of returnees.  Dodson, now a sophomore, made 27 stops in his first collegiate season.

Riley Garner and Cullen Gallaspia are back in the program.  And, first-year Aggies Anthony Hines, Buddy Johnson and Santino Marchiol arrive.

There's talent.  Increased production must come with it.
 

---

 
     

• Classification: True Freshman
• Hometown: Plano
• High School: Plano East
• Highlights: Consensus All-American ... First-team Class 6A all-state selection and Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press after totaling 220 tackles, including 133 solo stops, with five sacks and 38 tackles for loss ... also contributed two pickoffs and five forced fumbles ... the four-year lettermen finished his prep career with 640 tackles and 96 tackles for loss.
• Chavis says: "(He's) young, (but) really, really talented. We've got to keep pushing him. He's going to have to play some for us this year. He's certainly talented enough to do that. He's got to get a little more comfortable with the position."

   

• Classification: True Freshman
• Hometown: Dallas
• High School: Kimball
• Highlights: Kimball's leading rusher and receiver in 2016 with 472 rushing yards and 446 receiving yards, in addition to 268 passing yards ... earned first-team all-district honors at linebacker as a senior in 2016 after earning second-team recognition at quarterback as a junior.
• Chavis says: "Really excited because of the position at linebacker he's going to play. You can see the talent's there. He's very explosive.  We're excited that Buddy's here, he'll have the opportunity to make a contribution this year." 

     

• Classification: Sophomore
• Hometown: Franklin, Tennessee
• High School: Centennial
• 2016 Highlights: Appeared in every game off the bench ... recorded 27 tackles including 1.5 for a loss on the season ... recovered a fumble in the victory over Arkansas (Sep. 24) ... had a career high five tackles in his first game against UCLA (Sep. 3) ... recorded a tackle for loss at Auburn (Sep. 17).
• Career: 13 games, 27 tackles (15 solo), 1.5 TFLs, 1 fumble recovery.
• Chavis says: "(He's) starting to be a leader. When you start looking at the total package -- size, strength, speed -- he's got a chance to be a really outstanding player. He's got to continue to push the envelope in terms of playing hard and fast. I think he will."

     

• Classification: True Freshman
• Hometown: Centennial, Colorado
• High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
• Highlights: helped IMG Academy to an 11-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking by contributing 54 tackles, including a sack and four tackles for loss.
• Chavis says: "We only had him a couple days in spring.  What we saw in spring we really, really loved.  He's a guy that football is very important to.  He's talented enough, and certainly we've got get him healthy and on the field."

     

• Classification: Junior
• Hometown: College Station
• High School: A&M Consolidated
• 2016 Highlights: Saw action in all 13 games with a primary role on kick coverage units ... recorded three solo tackles on the season.
• Career: 26 games, 20 tackles (10 solo).
• Chavis says: "Riley continues to make progress.  We've moved him around a little bit, trying to create depth at Mike linebacker.  We've asked him to play inside and outside, and he's taken to that very well."

     

• Classification: Junior
• Hometown: Houston
• High School: Cypress Falls
• 2016 Highlights: Team's top returning tackler in '17 ... finished the season third on the team in tackles with 74, including 30 solo stops ... had two or more tackles in every game, including more than five in nine contests ... registered 9.0 tackles for loss with two coming via QB sack ... totaled 20 tackles in the final two games of 2016 with a career-high 11 vs. LSU and nine vs. Kansas State ... forced a fumble and recorded seven tackles against Alabama (Oct. 22).
• Career: 28 games, 119 tackles (53 solo), 13.5 TFLs, 4 pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles.
• Chavis says: "From an athletic standpoint, very, very talented.  You can see that the passion is there.  We've got to continue to push him, and he's got to continue to push himself.  We're real excited about where he is.  He is a leader on our football team and that's important."

     

• Classification: Junior
• Hometown: Katy
• High School: Taylor
• 2016 Highlights: Named the Aggies' 12th Man and was awarded a scholarship after fall camp ... the special teams ace wore the hallowed #12 jersey in every game and earned Special Teams Co-MVP honors at the annual team banquet ... led the team with six tackles on special teams and also forced a fumble and recovered a fumble on coverage units ... for the season, Gillaspia posted nine tackles, including six solo stops ... had a season-high three tackles against UCLA and Tennessee.
• Career: 15 games, 10 tackles (6 solo), 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery.
• Chavis says: "Cullen's going to play for us some. He gives us great depth. Certainly you've seen how exciting he is.  He has big play potential. I think it's more important to him to be a linebacker than just to be a special teams player.  There's nothing wrong with that, and he does a tremendous job, but he wants to make a contribution on this defense as well."