The year-and-a-half-long recruiting journey for the 2022 class has officially come to a close, and history was made in the process.
Whether it was rolling the Tide or head coach Jimbo Fisher reiterating he was staying at Texas A&M with this class coming in, the athletes making up this class are an additional turning point for the A&M football program.
The 2022 recruiting class will do historic things in Aggieland and, in fact, already have.
“You go across the board, we got a great quarterback, three great receivers, size, speed, athleticism, ball skills,” Fisher said. “Listen, today’s game, you have to hit big plays … them guys that jump over guys, run around guys, out-run guys, you’ve got to have guys that do that.”
Among offensive skill players, the Aggies signed eight recruits: five 4-stars, three 5-stars and one transfer that will mold the future of A&M offenses.
Four offensive lineman were acquired in the class as well, three 4-star recruits and one 3-star, who fill in every spot at the line of scrimmage outside of center. With an average size of 6’4 ½ and 308 lbs., Fisher said he’s happy with the size up front.
The fifth-year head coach for A&M also praised his incoming defensive class, where arguably the bulk of the talent lies. Four 5-star athletes will be suiting up at Kyle Field next year, three of whom will line up at the defensive line and the other in the secondary.
“Our secondary,” Fisher said. “Man, I’m excited about the length, size and speed of our secondary at corner, at safety.”
The Aggies are bringing in six defensive backs: four 4-star safeties, a 5-star cornerback and two 4-star cornerbacks. In the box, the Aggies are signing two 4-star linebackers and along the line they have seven prospects, including three 5-stars, three 4-stars and a 3-star athlete.
“Just an overall class that’s extremely good, I think, in playmaking ability, up front and in skill,” Fisher said. “But now they have to go play. We have to develop them and get them in the right spots, and that’s our job to do that.”
With a final 247 Sports Composite Score of 330.61, A&M’s 2022 recruiting class will go down in history as the best class in the modern era of recruiting. This group of Aggies surpassed last year’s class at Alabama that earned a score of 327.91.
However, this doesn’t come as a surprise. Fisher has always had recruiting success throughout his coaching career. In addition, assistant head coach Elijah Robinson secured a spot as the No. 1 recruiter of 2022, with tight ends coach James Coley and defensive backs coach TJ Rushing not too far behind, sitting at No. 5 and No. 15, respectively.
When looking at this class, the numbers speak for themselves.
Despite a lengthy recruiting process and the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Elko, two players ultimately decided to join the powerhouse class that included 11 early enrollees and 16 early signees.
On National Signing Day, A&M grabbed 5-star defensive lineman Shemar Stewart and 4-star safety Jacoby Mathews, who were not previously committed. The Aggies finished with seven 5-star athletes, 20 4-star athletes and three 3-star athletes.
With the addition of Stewart, A&M secured the No. 2, No. 10, No. 11, No. 16, No. 19, No. 22 and No. 24 players in the nation. Three of the Aggies’ recruits are the top player in their state, one is the top player internationally and 16 players rank in the top 100 in the U.S.
Editor’s Note: All rankings are from the 247 Sports Composite.
Here is a list of all 30 signees:
OFFENSE:
Conner Weigman — QB — 5-star — 6’2 / 208 — Bridgeland High School
Max Johnson — QB — 4-star — 6’4.5 / 216 — LSU transfer
Evan Stewart — WR — 5-star — 6’ / 175 — Liberty High School
Chris Marshall — WR — 5-star — 6’3 / 195 — Marshall High School
Noah Thomas — WR — 4-star — 6’5 / 180 — Clear Springs High School
Donovan Green — TE — 4-star — 6’4 / 235 — Dickinson High School
Theodor Melin Öhrström — TE — 4-star — 6’6 / 245 — RIG Academy, Sweden
Jake Johnson — TE — 4-star — 6’5 / 225 — Oconee County High School, Ga.
Le’Veon Moss — RB — 4-star — 6’ / 190 — Istrouma High School, La.
PJ Williams — OT — 4-star — 6’4 / 265 — Dickinson High School
Hunter Erb — OT — 4-star — 6’6 / 325 — V.R. Eaton High School
Kam Dewberry — IOL — 4-star — 6’4 / 313 — Atascocita High School
Mark Nabou — IOL — 3-star — 6’4 / 330 — O’Dea High School, Wash.
DEFENSE:
Walter Nolen — DL — 5-star — 6’4 / 325 — Powell High School, Tenn.
Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy — DL — 5-star — 6’3 / 280 — Lakeland High School, Fla.
Shemar Stewart — EDGE — 5-star — 6’6 / 272 — Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Fla.
Malick Sylla — EDGE — 4-star — 6’6 / 230 — Katy High School
Enai White— EDGE — 4-star — 6’5 / 230 — Imhotep Institute Charter High School, Pa.
Anthony Lucas— DL — 4-star — 6’4.5 / 275 — Chaparral High School, Ariz.
Jadon Scarlett — DL — 3-star — 6’2.5 / 265 — Argyle High School
Martrell Harris, Jr. — LB — 4-star — 6’2 / 215 — The Woodlands High School
Ish Harris — LB — 4-star — 6’3 / 195 — Pilot Point High School
Bryce Anderson — S — 4-star — 6’ / 190 — West Brook High School
Deyon “Smoke” Bouie — S — 4-star — 5’11 / 185 — Bainbridge High School, Ga.
Jared Kerr — S — 4-star — 6’ / 185 — Lexington High School
Jacoby Mathews — S — 4-star — 6’2 / 193 — Ponchatoula High School, La.
Denver Harris — CB — 5-star — 6’1 / 180 — North Shore High School
Bobby Taylor — CB — 4-star — 6’1 / 180 — Katy High School
Marquis Groves-Killebrew — CB — 4-star — 6’ / 180 — North Cobb High School, Ga.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Ethan Moczulski — K — 3-star — 5’11 / 185 — Mt. Spokane High School, Wash.
Let’s take a deeper look at A&M’s Class of 2022:
Weigman:
The 12th Man will be yelling “Weig’em” in no time. Weigman has enrolled early at A&M and has the potential to win the QB1 spot as a freshman. Weigman finished his high school career with 27 passing touchdowns and was offensive MVP of his district. He will put his powerful arm to use in multiple ways by also playing baseball at A&M.
Max Johnson:
Johnson’s last pass was to beat A&M 27–24 at LSU, and now the quarterback is competing to win the starting spot in College Station. As the only transfer in this class, Johnson has the size and experience to lead the Aggies, along with three years of eligibility remaining. Max and his brother Jake will be a dangerous duo while at A&M.
Evan Stewart:
The internet-famous wideout signed after Early Signing Day as the No. 11 player in the nation. He has already enrolled at A&M and will be displaying his speed and athleticism this spring. His personality is loved all over social media with almost 2.5 million combined followers on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.
Marshall:
Marshall, the No. 3 wide receiver in the nation, bolsters the Aggies’ passing attack of the future. Originally a stand-out basketball prospect, the 4-star wideout committed to A&M over other major programs despite not picking up the sport until his junior year.
Thomas:
Four-star wide receiver Thomas was a three-sport athlete in high school. He is the lowest-ranked receiver commit in A&M’s 2022 class, but at 6’5 he is the same height as two of the three tight ends and competed at the state level in track.
Green:
Green was the Galveston County Football Player of the Year in 2021 out of Dickinson. The physical tight end with a custom shoe business could find the field soon in an offense that loves to utilize the tight end position.
Öhrström:
The highest ranked international recruit of this class, Öhrström will be the third international player on A&M’s roster in 2023, along with sophomore punter Nik Constantinou and sophomore offensive linemen Jordan Spasojevic-Moko, both from Australia. The 4-star tight end will be the first European Aggie since Jermaine Eluemunor.
Jake Johnson:
Jake Johnson was the last of A&M’s three tight ends to commit to the Aggies. Originally an LSU commit, 4-star tight end Jake flipped recruitment to team up with big brother Max on Saturdays at Kyle Field.
Moss:
The only running back to commit to the Aggies, Moss, a 4-star from Louisiana, will be able to join an offense that prioritizes the run game. A quick and explosive runner, he was also a successful return man, which could give him a quick avenue to see the field.
Williams:
Offensive tackle, Williams, was one of the Aggies’ earliest commitments, who made his decision along with his Dickinson teammate Green back in January 2021. Williams is the No. 8 player in the nation at his position and will be a powerful addition to an already stout offensive line.
Erb:
Erb, a long-time A&M commit, already has the build of an SEC offensive linemen. He is the biggest signee in the class, sitting at 6’6 325 and his size will be needed to protect his quarterback.
Dewberry:
Dewberry started out at tackle at Atascocita but is currently ranked as the No. 3 interior offensive lineman in this incoming class. He joined the Aggies over Oklahoma and Texas. Dewberry also participated on the track and field team in high school in shot put.
Nabou:
Ranked as the No. 22 player at interior offensive line and the No. 8 player in Washington, the Seattle lineman comes from a run-heavy offense at O’Dea. Nabou signed with A&M back in December and got to show off at the Polynesian Bowl in January.
Nolen:
As A&M’s highest recruit ever, the 5-star out of Powell, Tenn. shocked the nation with his commitment to Fisher and his staff. The state champion has an almost perfect rating of .9998, topping NFL ALL-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett’s score of .9993. Once enrolled, Nolen’s talents will only improve under the guidance of defensive line coach Terry Price.
Brownlow-Dindy:
The 5-star defensive lineman out of Florida has joined an already extraordinary defensive class. He has already enrolled and his family has decided to make the journey from Florida to Texas with him. His dad secured a job in College Station at the Texas School of Preaching.
Shemar Stewart:
Just when the Aggies thought they were done adding talent, Stewart announced his commitment to A&M on National Signing Day. The large-framed 5-star out of Miramar, Fla. is the second-highest ranked recruit in this class as well as the No. 1 player in Florida.
Sylla:
Another fast powerful player in this class is 4-star edge Sylla. Sylla and Taylor were teammates at Katy High School when they won a 6A DII Texas State Title in 2021, contributing to the Houston to College Station pipeline.
White:
Two-sport athlete White played in New Jersey before moving to Philadelphia and attending Imhotep Institute. An elite athlete, he played both ways at defensive line and tight end and is the No. 2 player in the state of Pennsylvania as well as the No. 4 ranked edge rusher nationally.
Lucas:
The top-ranked player in the state of Arizona, Lucas is a 4-star defensive lineman and the ninth ranked player at his position. He’s a physical and agile pass rusher and the Scottsdale, Ariz., native was another one of A&M’s participants in the Under Armour All-American Bowl.
Scarlett:
Scarlett is a 3-star defensive line prospect from Argyle where he had multiple double-digit sack seasons. He is the 56th ranked prospect along the line and the 61st ranked player in the state of Texas.
Martrell Harris:
The 4-star linebacker from The Woodlands participated in the Under Armour All-American Bowl and won Texas District 13-6A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Martrell Harris had the ability to play both on and off-ball linebacker, a trait that will help make A&M’s defense more versatile.
Ish Harris:
A 4-star linebacker, Ish Harris had over 3,000 career rushing yards at Pilot Point where he was a three-sport athlete. He played all over the field but will play at the collegiate level in the box where he is the 36th ranked linebacker in the nation.
Anderson:
Deciding between rivals A&M and Texas, Anderson settled on the former becoming one of three safeties in this class for the Aggies. An Under Armour All-American and 4-star safety, he doubled as a dual-threat quarterback in high school at West Brook.
Bouie:
Three-sport athlete and 4-star safety “Smoke” did not play his junior season after tearing both his ACL and MCL. Bouie was a flip from Georgia and played in all three phases in his senior season.
Kerr:
Winner of the Texas 3A long jump title as a junior, Kerr did not play his senior season after a back injury sidelined him. An early enrollee at A&M, he will get more time to transition to his projected role as a 4-star safety after being an offensive standout for Lexington High School.
Mathews:
The last player to join the Aggies, Mathews was a late-day addition on National Signing Day. The 4-star safety is the No. 2 safety in the 2022 class and the No. 3 player from the state of Louisiana, where he also played basketball and even played quarterback.
Denver Harris:
Denver Harris, a 5-star recruit from North Shore, announced his commitment after a 6A Texas DI UIL State title win in Arlington. The Under-Armour All-American was the fourth ranked cornerback in the class and a top-25 player nationally.
Taylor:
A&M signed a self-proclaimed “kid who knows how to recruit” in 4-star cornerback Taylor. While he wasn’t on the field for the majority of his senior campaign with an injury, off the field he was an extension of A&M’s recruiting staff with his mic drops on Twitter.
Groves-Killebrew:
Four-star cornerback Groves-Killebrew flipped from home-state Georgia to Texas A&M back in December. The All-American All Star Bowl participant tore his ACL his senior season but should be good to go in the fall.
Moczulski:
Mt. Spokane kicker Moczulski was a member of the All-American Bowl and is the No. 2 kicker in the class. He signed with A&M back in December over a number of other colleges in the Pacific Northwest.
Kay’s take:
Best player in the class: Walter Nolen
When Nolen committed, it felt like a turning point for this recruiting class. Inking the No. 2 recruit in the county was no small task for Fisher and his staff and Nolen is a college ready player at just 18-years-old. As the best recruit A&M has ever gotten, he will easily make a difference on the defensive line his freshman year. Personally, I can’t wait to see college quarterbacks fear Nolen once in maroon and white.
Hidden gem: Le’Veon Moss
In Fisher’s offense, running the ball is his bread and butter. Although we might not see Moss hit the field right away because of the talent in front of him, in two to three years, I like his chances. A powerful running back is a necessity in the SEC and Moss could be a star that accumulates massive yardage once this 2022 class has a few years to mature.
Potential day-one starter: Conner Weigman
One guy that is going to give experienced quarterbacks a run for their money is Weigman.
When looking at the QB talent, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those guys, however Weigman is a tough kid who displays just as much talent as King and Johnson. Weigman did himself a favor by enrolling early and Fisher will experience his athleticism first-hand this off-season.
Biggest area of improvement: Competitive quarterback room
One exciting aspect the A&M football program lacked last season was a competitive quarterback room but for the 2022 season, it will be a whole different story. With — Haynes King’s injury placing him on the sidelines all season, redshirt sophomore and now-Auburn quarterback Zach Calzada was forced to step up, perform at an SEC level and know his only relief was walk-on true freshman Blake Bost. Calzada felt obligated to just do his job and his starting spot was never threatened. In 2022, with King returning to action, Johnson transferring to win a starting spot and Weigman’s 5-stars speaking for themselves, Fisher will have a tough decision to make come September. Pressure makes diamonds and these three quarterbacks will compete this offseason, knowing that spot will be given to the best quarterback on the field.
Overall class grade: A+
It’s extremely difficult to find any faults in this class. A&M secured top-tier athletes at every position who are SEC-ready performers. Give this class one to three years under Fisher’s guidance and the 12th Man should expect a national championship ring very soon.
Jordan’s take:
Best player in the class: Conner Weigman
Quarterback is the most valuable position on a football field; elite quarterback play can make or break a program. With an up-and-down season of quarterback production, A&M fans can look to Weigman as a potential program cornerstone whether he starts his true freshman season or not. A two-sport athlete, football and baseball, Weigman has all the traits you’d want both in the arm and the legs and at a position of value that’s about as good as it gets.
Hidden gem: Noah Thomas
This goes hand-in-hand with the Weigman pick, but Thomas has been a riser as of late despite still being outside the top 300. Since originally committing to A&M, he has jumped up about 20 spots nationally in the receiver rankings. At 6-foot-5, Thomas had 21 touchdowns his senior year and placed sixth in the state of Texas in the 400-meter race as a junior. Offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey likened him to Mike Evans: lofty expectations, but if he has more Josh Reynolds in his game A&M fans will not be disappointed.
Potential day-one starter: Walter Nolen
Is it chalky to say a top-two ranked player is a day-one starter? Probably. But when you have a defensive line losing Jayden Peevy, Tyree Johnson, Micheal Clemons and arguably most importantly DeMarvin Leal, there’s an easier path to start than most other positions. Also he’s a 5-star athlete. Nolen will sure up the inside of the defensive line for the Aggies sooner than later.
Biggest area of improvement: Pass catchers
While Fisher’s offense has never been fixated on the air attack, the pass catchers at A&M have left much to be desired. Drops were a major issue in 2021 and tight end Jalen Wydermyer, A&M’s receiving yards leader last season, has left for the big leagues. When you bring in a young 5-star gun slinger, adding two 5-star receivers, a 6-foot-5 4-star receiver and three 4-star tight ends to grow alongside him can go a long way.
Overall class grade: A+
I could be pessimistic and nitpick a reason why this class doesn’t deserve a perfect grade, but when you sign the No. 1 class of all time it’s not worth the hassle. In four years time, we can reflect on this class and reevaluate it, but as of right now it’s a solid A-plus.