Assessing the Aggies: Moose Muhammad III
The number seven team in the preseason top 25 has undergone a drastic changing of the guard this offseason, but an early test against a title favorite will reveal a lot of things about them.
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to the 12sReport and this edition of Assessing the Aggies, where today we’ll take a closer look at a receiver looking to make a big jump in his third year with the program…
Moose Muhammad III, WR, Sophomore (RS)
6’1”, 195 pounds
Last season: 10 receptions, 153 yards, 4 touchdowns
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!
Ever since he stepped on campus, Texas A&M fans have been super excited about Moose Muhammad and what he had the potential to do. For an offense that had been lacking playmakers for a while, the son of a longtime NFL wideout that was oozing with talent made the Aggie faithful extremely excited about his prospects. While he hasn’t taken on that big of a role in his first few seasons in College Station, Muhammad could be set for a big jump in year 3, where fans have been clamoring for more playing time for the redshirt sophomore, me included. He’s got serious talent and an extremely high ceiling, but with Chase Lane, Evan Stewart, and Ainias Smith projected as the first-teamers right now, though, I don’t see Muhammad having a large role right out of the gate. There is a very real chance that his role gets bigger and bigger in the offense as time passes, though, and I believe he could be someone that emerges as another impact playmaker.
With extremely strong hands and a wide catch radius, Muhammad is a very dependable target out of the slot. The redshirt sophomore can make pretty much any catch in the book, and that was evident a year ago. From reeling in over-the-shoulder passes to reaching up over a defender for a jump ball, Muhammad’s hands and coordination allow him to be essentially a safety blanket for whoever is throwing the ball come September 3. This allows him to thrive particularly in contested catch scenarios, and when those skills pair with his plus vertical, Muhammad can be a force in 50-50 situations. He also has the sufficient speed and agility needed to operate out of the slot - they may not be anything outstandingly great, but he is more than capable of beating defenders after the catch with those. Overall, Muhammad is a very well-rounded wideout that can do a plethora of things, but at the very least he is an extremely reliable target that can reel in pretty much any pass thrown his way.
Expectations have really grown this offseason for Moose Muhammad. He’s got immense levels of potential but hasn’t had the expanded role that most A&M fans would have liked him to have thus far in his time in Aggieland. However, the talent is still there and he should be expected to get plenty of run in 2022. If Jimbo Fisher name-dropped him, you should expect the third-year pass-catcher to play a big role in the offense.
As he enters year three with the Aggies, Muhammad has the skill and familiarity with the system to be an impact player for Texas A&M this year, and I think he’s got the stuff needed to play his way into the first team if everything breaks his way. If he has a strong start to the year, that scenario could come sooner rather than later.
That will be all for Moose Muhammad’s profile. Here’s a hint for tomorrow’s player…
Someone I labeled as maybe the biggest winner in fall camp this year, this player was a three-sport star in high school (football, basketball, and track) while also playing cornerback as a sophomore.
The 12sReport’s Top 25
In this edition of the preseason top 25, we’ll take a look at #7 in the rankings. This team is one that is undergoing a regime change (in fact, it’s the highest ranked team in these rankings that is doing so) but is still stockpiled with talent and should be a force this season…
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
In one of the more shocking twists of the offseason, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish saw longtime head coach Brian Kelly depart for the Bayou and the LSU Tigers, leading defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to step into the vacant spot and usher in a new age in South Bend. With Freeman at the helm, the Fighting Irish are still stockpiled with great talent and should still be a force on the national stage. The new head coach will be thrown into the fire right away, though, with a marquee matchup in Columbus against the team he used to play for, Ohio State, being his first test. With a brutal road schedule after that, can Freeman deliver a continuing level of high-quality football in his first full season?
Offense: The Irish offense is undergoing a big-time makeover, with a lot of key contributors last year departing for the pros. It’s a pretty young group that will be tested early and often, but there are still some pieces that can help out the new faces. Tight end Michael Mayer is the star of this offense and a potential first-round pick after being the unquestioned starter at his position for the last two seasons. A complete package at tight end, he’ll be new quarterback Tyler Buchner’s best friend and likely the most targeted receiver. With a lot of attention on Mayer, it could free up an inexperienced, but talented receiving corps that is headlined by sophomore Lorenzo Styles but lost Avery Davis to injury, leaving the position pretty much up for grabs. With Kyren Williams gone, Chris Tyree should take over lead running back duties, and he could be a star with his speed and explosiveness. The offensive line should be a great unit once again - Joe Alt, Jarrett Patterson, Zeke Correll, Josh Lugg, and Blake Fisher should be a very good five up front, while Andrew Kristofic, Rocco Spindler, and Tosh Baker provide quality depth for the group.
Defense: In contrast to a younger offense, the defense is projected to be loaded with talent and experience, especially in the front seven. Edge rusher Isaiah Foskey headlines the unit; a potential first-round pick, he enters his final year with the Irish at Freeman’s “Vyper” position, acting as an end/linebacker hybrid. Foskey will pair with Rylie Mills to create a formidable defensive end duo, with Nana Osafo-Mensah and Justin Ademilola providing some quality depth. Jayson Ademilola and one of Jacob Lacey, Howard Cross III, and Harvard transfer Chris Smith will line up in the interior. At linebacker, it’s a trio of seniors set to line up there, with Jack Kiser at Rover (like a linebacker/safety hybrid), Marist Liufau at weakside linebacker, and JD Bertrand in the middle. Five-star freshman Jayden Sneed could also see a good chunk of playing time on the second level of the defense. The secondary is also looking like it could have the chance to be really good on paper, even if the unit lost safety Kyle Hamilton to the NFL; however, most of the projected impact players of the group need to find some consistency. Clarence Lewis and Cam Hart are a solid cornerback duo, while TaRiq Bracy is pretty set to fill the nickel spot. The main star of the unit, though, is Northwestern transfer Brandon Joseph - one of the best safeties in the country, he’ll immediately step in and likely be the best player at the back end of that defense.
Special Teams: The Irish welcome a pair of graduate transfers to fill their kicker and punter spots. Blake Grupe, maybe the most prolific kicker in Arkansas State’s history, will take over at the same spot for Notre Dame, while last year’s FCS Punter of the Year in Harvard’s Jon Sot will handle punting duties.
Key Games: Week 1 @ Ohio State, Week 4 @ North Carolina, Week 6 @ BYU, Week 10 vs. Clemson, Week 13 @ USC
That will do it for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s preview. Here’s a hint for number six in the rankings…
I write about this team every day.
The Top 25 So Far
25. Texas
24. Miami
23. Houston
22. Wake Forest
21. Pitt
20. Kentucky
19. Ole Miss
18. BYU
17. Penn State
16. Oregon
15. USC
14. Oklahoma State
13. Arkansas
12. Baylor
11. Oklahoma
8. Michigan
7. Notre Dame
That will be all for me today. If you’re still reading, I’d just like to say thank you so much, and I’ll see you tomorrow!
-Sourav