What 5-star DL Lebbeus Overton brings to Texas A&M

The top unsigned football prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle came off the board on Friday afternoon with five-star defensive lineman Lebbeus Overton announcing his commitment to Texas A&M. Georgia and Oregon were the other finalists.

The Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton product was initially a 2023 prospect before reclassifying to the 2022 cycle in February.

Overton was moved into the 2022 rankings – both in the On300 and in the industry-generated On3 Consensus back in February. He finished No. 31 overall and as the No. 5 defensive lineman in the On300. Overton also ranks as the No. 10 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus and was one of eight Five-Star Plus+ prospects in the 2022 cycle. His On3 NIL Valuation checked in at 35k prior to the announcement.

Let’s take a closer look at what Texas A&M is getting in the five-star prospect.

Advanced strength and play speed

Lebbeus Overton showed an advanced combination of length, power and play speed at an early stage in his high school career. He initially was considered as an EDGE prospect but has continued to grow into a big frame, checking in at around 6-foot-3, 165 pounds prior to his junior season.

Overton played all over the defensive front at Milton and proved to be highly disruptive on a snap-to-snap basis. His combination of length (81-inch wing-span) first-step quickness and and brute strength often overwhelmed opposing offensive linemen. Overton’s ability to convert speed to power as a pass rusher is among his strengths. We also see him show closing speed and effort both as a finisher and pursuit defender.

We previously noted that Overton reminds us some of former former Florida State and current Chicago Bears defensive lineman Mario Edwards, who was a five-star prospect in the 2012 cycle. There are also some similarities to former Alabama defensive lineman and current Washington Commander Jonathan Allen, though Overton started to fill out his frame at an earlier stage.

Elite production as an underclassman

Lebbeus Overton‘s production profile as a sophomore at Milton was as good as you’ll see from an underclassman prospect. He tallied 21.5 sacks and 38 tackles for loss in 12 games in Georgia’s highest classification. In watching several Milton games during the fall of 2020, Overton popped off the screen as an elite underclassman prospect. He regularly flashed and was dominant on the big stage.

Overton wasn’t able to match that gaudy production as a junior after missing much of the 2021 season with two broken bones in his foot. He was on a bit of a pitch count before ramping up in the state playoffs. Even then, we still saw Overton make an impact against top competition.

Between his eighth grade (played on varsity) and freshman years at Bessemer Academy in Alabama and the two seasons at Milton, Overton finished with 114.5 tackles for loss and 54 sacks. That’s good for 2.29 tackles for loss and 1.08 sacks per game.

Lebbeus Overton’s impact at Texas A&M

Simply put, the rich get richer with Lebbeus Overton committing to Texas A&M. Overton joins the Aggies’ 2022 class that already ranked No. 1 in the 2022 On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking. It’s also the top class ever according to to the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking. Overton becomes the ninth On3 Consensus five-star prospect to join the Texas A&M class.

The Aggies’ defensive line group is particularly strong and stacks up as one of the best hauls we’ve seen at the position in recent memory. Overton joins Walter Nolen and Shemar Stewart as Five-Star Plus+ prospects on the Aggies’ front. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy checks in as the No. 12 prospect in the On3 Consensus while Anthony Lucas (No. 41) is another inside the top 50.

Adding Overton gives the already gaudy group yet another power, versatile pass rusher. Texas A&M and new defensive coordinator DJ Durkin should have a bevy of young options on the defensive line. The Aggies roster is now flush with big, athletic defensive linemen who can line up at multiple spots along the front. Assuming this group progresses as expected, it would not be a surprise to see Texas A&M field the most talented defensive front in college football in a few seasons.