Fall Camp Preview: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Will Johnson, 12th Man Productions
There are targets aplenty for the Aggies in 2023. Where to begin?
Ainias Smith returns. Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad III have emerged. Noah Thomas is emerging.
That’s just the wide receivers. The tight ends include Donovan Green, Max Wright and more.
A&M can display variety and versatility in the pass game.
With the wideouts, Ainias Smith’s return from injury is a huge boost. He was hurt against Arkansas in September and missed the remainder of the season. He’s already proven to be a weapon when healthy. He’ll step into 2023 already in the top 10 on A&M’s career catches list, and with 38 grabs he’ll move to the top five. Smith is tied for seventh in school history in career touchdown catches—with some guy named Mike Evans.
Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad III combined for 91 catches a year ago, some of those in spectacular fashion. It’s easy to remember Stewart’s one-handed TD catch vs Ole Miss and Muhammad’s one-hander against LSU.
Now, Noah Thomas looks like a guy who can get up and make contested catches. He might be the kind of receiver that can turn those 50-50 balls into 70-30 in favor of the Aggies. The program thought his spring strides were ready to be showcased in the Maroon & White Game in April. Thomas, however, went out early with a minor injury.
“The emergence of Noah, he’s 6’5,” Jimbo Fisher said. “I wish the folks in the spring game could’ve saw him. He got banged up. He had an outstanding spring. He made one or two catches every practice that were just going up over people, highlight catches.”
Fisher also liked what freshmen Raymond Cottrell and Micah Tease have showed early in their time in College Station.
And the head coach feels good about the tight ends, saying they have ‘size and length.’
Donovan Green caught 22 balls in his first college football season. He picked the right games to find the end zone, too. He hauled in touchdowns against Alabama and LSU.
Max Wright is back. He’s often looked at as a leader, but don’t sleep on the player he’s become. After switching positions he’s now comfortable as a tight end, and looks the part physically and athletically. Jake Johnson will play a bigger role now that he’s healthy.
The list keeps going. The Aggies could get contributions from Theo Melin Öhrström, Fernando Garza and Jaden Platt.
This group works with the offensive line as well as the receivers. Even in the pass game, they need to be built different.
“At tight end there’s got to be a uniqueness to you because you’re always working in holes,” Fisher said. “You’re never open. You’re always in confined areas. Knowing how to manage that, their knowledge grew there.”
Overall, A&M is in good hands when it comes to the pass catchers. There’s tons of options and targets when combining the tight ends and wideouts, and lots Fisher and Bobby Petrino can do with formations.
They were a part of last season’s youth movement as 95 total catches were made by freshmen.
With a year under their belt, they’re ready to flourish. Jimbo Fisher knows it.
“it’s a good group. You have length, size and experience now. And some guys can make some plays.”
