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Ainias Smith excited Texas A&M returns nine offensive starters in 2023

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•05/05/23
Ainias Smith, Texas A&M Aggies receiver
Texas A&M receiver Ainias Smith runs after the catch in a game on Sept. 24, 2022. (Andrew Dieb / USA TODAY Sports)

As Texas A&M returns to the offseason grind following spring football it will be looking to bounce back from a thoroughly disappointing losing season in 2022, coach Jimbo Fisher‘s fifth with the program.

The Aggies went 5-7, despite having some real weapons in certain spots, like running back with Devon Achane. Injuries, of course, wreaked havoc on the team, both on the offensive line and at quarterback.

But if there’s a silver lining it’s that Texas A&M returns a wealth of experience now.

“I know every year seems like we always have a group of guys that are just very special, but I would definitely say with this team you can already tell with just the unity and the togetherness that we’ve already built together and the bonds that we’ve built have just grown,” receiver Ainias Smith said.

“Then with all the new guys coming in we’re accepting them, they’re accepting us. So it’s definitely going good so far.”

Texas A&M returns nine of the team’s full-time starters from a year ago on offense, losing only Achane and starting center Matthew Wykoff.

Achane departed for the 2023 NFL Draft, while Wykoff was a somewhat surprising entrant into the NCAA transfer portal this spring. Both will be significant losses, but ones that can presumably be overcome by the sheer number of returning players around those spots.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is Texas A&M lost 31 players to the NCAA transfer portal, tied for the third-highest total among FBS programs, trailing only Colorado (56) and Ole Miss (33).

So how well Texas A&M can round out the depth chart remains to be seen.

The Aggies have also done some hole-filling via the transfer portal themselves. Some of the key additions expected to make an impact this fall are Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry, UTEP receiver Tyrin Smith, Florida State safety Sam McCall and North Carolina cornerback Tony Grimes.

But at least Smith feels good about what Texas A&M returns following spring football practice, with players meshing and both new and old players getting along just fine.