When was the last time the room was this good?
We’ve reached our last position preview leading up to the 2023 seasson (see links to the others below), and it’s no surprise that QB was saved for last. Not only is it the most important position in football, we also only officially learned who A&M’s starter would be yesterday. But with just four days until the season opener, let’s break it down.
Who did we lose?
The lone departure from the 2022 squad is Haynes King, who is now the starter at Georgia Tech. While King came to Aggieland with lofty expectations, his struggles last season likely would have put him third on the depth chart in 2023. Would you love to have that added depth? Of course. But in the transfer portal era, it’s not very realistic. We’ll be rooting for Haynes to light it up in Atlanta.
Who do we bring back?
- Conner Weigman: Weigman started four of the final five games of 2022 as a true freshman (missing the Florida game with the flu). The former five-star recruit appears to have both the tools and the intangibles to be a great college quarterback.
- Max Johnson: After suffering a season-ending injury against Mississippi State, veteran Max Johnson returns, apparently in a backup role. It’s hard to ask for a better backup QB situation than this one, as Johnson has the experience and skill set to come in and be productive if needed.
What other names should we know?
- Marcel Reed: Reed was a late four-star flip from Ole Miss in the 2023 recruiting class, and was named “Mr. Football” for 2022 in his home state of Tennessee. Reed may be the QB of the future, or he may just be a depth piece. But either way, his presence at A&M this season is invaluable to help stabilize a position that’s been anything but in recent years.
- Jaylen Henderson: The Fresno State transfer gives the Aggies that pivotal fourth scholarship QB. Given the fact that at least three A&M quarterbacks have seen non-garbage-time snaps in each of the past three seasons, you can see why having a fourth player is so pivotal. Henderson is still a bit of a work in progress, but at 6’3”, 220, his size and dual threat ability give him plenty of upside.
Overall Grade: B
We’re pretty sure that QB is not a weakness for this team, but it’s still tbd whether or not it’s a strength. With Weigman in year two, and the offense expected to improve across the board (OL, WRs, scheme), there’s a ton of potential. If things break right, you could see a top 20 offense with Weigman being a Heisman candidate. We probably haven’t felt this good about the QB room from top to bottom since Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray were (ever so fleetingly) on campus.
But I felt good about the QB room a year ago too, and it was a pretty bumpy ride. Much like a lot of positions on this A&M team, the talent is absolutely there for this grade to be much higher by season’s end. I’m just not ready to declare it a done deal.
Perhaps moreso than any other team, Texas A&M is littered with unanswered questions this offseason. Lucky for us, the offseason is just about over.