Texas A&M has a few areas it needs to shore up this offseason -- quarterback and receiver among them -- and several highly regarded recruits who could step in right away and contribute in those areas. The most difficult loss to recover from, however, will be at defensive end, where Daeshon Hall graduated and Myles Garrett declared early for the 2017 NFL draft.
Garrett and Hall have been mainstays at the two defensive end spots the past three seasons. The Aggies have two players who gained significant experience the past two seasons playing behind Garrett and Hall -- Qualen Cunningham and Jarrett Johnson -- but beyond that, depth is thin.
That's where Micheal Clemons comes in.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end from Cisco (Texas) College isn't the Aggies' highest-rated recruit in the 2017 class, but he might be the most important. Finding a way to offset the loss of Garrett is particularly tough. Clemons might have the ability to ease the blow.
Ranked the No. 23 overall player in the ESPN JC 50 and the No. 5 junior college defensive end, Clemons will likely be expected to come in and contribute immediately. He had offers from numerous SEC programs, including Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Regardless of whether Clemons starts, he's bound to have an impact early and often. Johnson and Cunningham, who were reserve defensive ends behind Hall and Garrett, saw significant playing time and often hit the field on first and second downs to give the starters a breather. In the SEC, waves of defensive linemen are needed to be successful, so whether Clemons is starting or coming off the bench, he's likely to figure into the rotation prominently.
