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In 2022, the Texas A&M Aggies and Jimbo Fisher signed an historic recruiting class.
It was the first full year of recruiting in the NIL era and Aggies (allegedly) put their deep pockets to good use.
Less than two years later, however, Fisher is out the door and much of the famed class is no longer in College Station.
Texas A&M’s Incredible 2022 Recruiting Class Has Largely Fallen Apart
The Aggies welcomed 32 scholarship players as part of the class. Thirty of those players were high school recruits, while a further two were transfers.
Twenty of those players ranked inside the top 150 of 247Sports’ composite rankings. Eight of those 20 players were ranked as five-star recruits.
So, how and why did all that talent not result in more success on the field? And where are all those players now, less than 24 months later?
Max Olson and Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic found out. And the answers aren’t pretty for Aggies fans.
To start, 12 of the 32 players have either already transferred out of Texas A&M or are currently in the transfer portal. Four of the eight five-star recruits have left.
That includes the No. 2 overall recruit Walter Nolen. The defensive tackle from Tennessee recently announced his entry into the transfer portal. Nolen started 10 games in 2023, led the defensive line with 37 tackles and finished fourth on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss.
Only seven of the remaining 20 players were starters for the Aggies in 2022.
Of those seven players, only former five-star wide receiver Evan Stewart has produced at what you could consider star level.
Stewart has 91 catches for 1,163 yards in 18 games across two seasons.
Former five-star quarterback Conner Weigman won the starting job prior to the 2023 season and flashed signs of brilliance. Unfortunately, Weigman suffered a season-ending injury in a victory over Auburn in Week 4.
Can new head coach Mike Elko turn things around?
Potentially.
Elko served as Fisher’s defensive coordinator from 2018-2021 and will be familiar with many of the 2022 recruits who remain.
But if he can’t, it’ll go down as an all-time missed opportunity for a Texas A&M program desperate for success.