A former quarterback at Bremond High School and Mr. Texas Football award winner, sophomore Roshauud Paul is settling in as a Texas A&M wide receiver and punt returner.
During his three-year tenure as a high school quarterback, Paul led the Bremond Tigers to a 47-game win streak and three back-to-back state championships. Paul said his days as signal caller are behind him, though.
“I definitely don’t have the quarterback mentality anymore,” Paul said. “It’s definitely left me for sure.”
As part of a dwindling wide receiving corps that recently lost Jhamon Ausbon to a foot injury he suffered against Arkansas, Paul has accumulated 70 receiving yards on six receptions in just three games.
The Aggies have garnered 1,624 receiving yards on 123 receptions so far this season.
“We’ve been coming along really well,” Paul said. “Jhamon Ausbon got hurt, but we’ve had guys step up and fill into their role in practice, and as our numbers are getting low, guys keep stepping up each week and we continue to improve.”
Though tight end Jace Sternberger is seemingly Kellen Mond’s favorite target, Paul said that helps take pressure off the other receivers.
“You’re not having to get the ball every single play or having to be press coverage every single play,” Paul said. “[Sternberger is] getting open and allowing everybody else to get open because [opponents] are eventually going to have to guard him and stop him, so he’s definitely opened up the passing game for us as a whole.”
Against Kentucky last Saturday, Paul returned a punt for 43 yards — the Aggies’ longest punt return of the season.
“Typically, depending if it’s a sky kick, you want to fair catch those and field them,” Paul said. “In that instance, I had a little space, so it was a go ahead and just return it.”
Paul said his success at punt returner stems from practicing with A&M punter and kickoff specialist Braden Mann.
“You don’t face many guys, if any, like Braden,” Paul said. “He’s in practice punting them 60, 70 yards, and I have to run back and field those, so it actually takes a lot of stress off in the game. Those punts are a little easier to field.”
Paul said the most difficult part of returning punts comes while the ball is in the air.
“Depending on the wind or how the ball is rotating or spinning, you never know where it could possibly land,” Paul said. “I just try to see the ball off [the punter’s] foot. … If it’s spinning backward, it’s going to land short, but if it’s still spiraling over, it’s going to continue to keep flying.”
As the Aggies prepare to face SEC opponent South Carolina on the road this Saturday, Paul said he has faith in his team.
“We just continue to take each week one by one and continue to grow as a whole and as a unit,” Paul said. “We really think we have a good chance at continuing to win these SEC games. Going on the road to South Carolina is definitely going to be tough, but I think we can get the job done if we just continue to do what we’ve been doing.”