Fisher’s failings show in lack of first-rounders
COLLEGE STATION — College coaches can yap all day about building and sustaining a culture at a program, but the proof is in the NFL draft.
Texas A&M has had one first-round selection from the Jimbo Fisher era, which wrapped up in mid-November after the former Florida State coach failed to win enough games with the Aggies, and that first-round number is not expected to double by the end of this week.
The draft’s opening round is Thursday night in Detroit, and A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper has an outside shot to be among the first 32 picks in the first round but likely will go Friday, when the second and third rounds take place.
Fisher arrived at A&M in December 2017, and his first full recruiting class was in 2019. Despite a school-record four consecutive top 10 recruiting classes under Fisher starting in 2019, the Aggies’ lone first rounder since has been offensive lineman Kenyon Green, who went No. 15 overall to the Texans in 2022.
A year ago, A&M didn’t even have a pick in the first two rounds. The Miami Dolphins selected running back Devon Achane in the third round, the Jacksonville Jaguars chose safety Antonio Johnson in the fifth round, and the Indianapolis Colts picked cornerback Jaylon Jones in the seventh round.
At the same time, the Aggies’ conference of record, the SEC, had nine first-round selections in 2023, one more reason Fisher was booted and replaced by Mike Elko from Duke.
Fisher could still contribute
to A&M’s first-round fortunes in the next couple of drafts. Quarterback Conner Weigman and a handful of defensive linemen, among other players, have firstround potential as they exhaust their eligibility with the Aggies under Elko this season.
One A&M coach who has not received enough credit for his eye for future first-rounders — primarily because he was perfectly mediocre over 50 games with a 25-25 record from 2008-11 — is Mike Sherman. He, like Fisher, was fired ultimately for not winning enough games and replaced by Kevin Sumlin from the University of Houston in 2012.
In the first two drafts following Sumlin’s first year, the Aggies’ four first-round selections all were Sherman recruits: offensive linemen Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, receiver Mike Evans and quarterback Johnny Manziel.
A&M fired Sumlin following the 2017 regular season, and in the first two drafts following Fisher’s first season, the Aggies had zero firstround picks. Sumlin was responsible, however, for A&M’s all-time top draft pick, defensive end Myles Garrett, who went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns in 2017.
Fisher’s inability to develop high-end talent ultimately got him ousted at A&M, and Elko is aware. Elko was Fisher’s defensive coordinator with the Aggies from 2018-21 before taking his first head coaching job at Duke, where he was 16-9 the past two seasons.
Elko answered questions about A&M’s NFL hopefuls at the program’s recent pro day, based on his past knowledge of defenders like Cooper and defensive lineman McKinnley Jackson, as well as offensive lineman Layden Robinson and receiver Ainias Smith.
“For me, it’s a little bit unique in taking over a new program,” Elko said of speaking on A&M’s draft-eligible players, “but I coached and recruited so many of these guys. It’s great to see them finally get to this day and see them do their thing.”
Cooper projects in the second round, perhaps to the Texans at No. 42 overall, while Jackson, Robinson and Smith all are mid-round picks at best, according to multiple prognostications.
“I don’t know what to expect,” Smith said of draft week and hearing names called over the seven rounds from Thursday to Saturday. “But I know I’m going to be smiling. … I’ll be stress-free.”
Smith, a former Dulles star, can help an NFL franchise in a variety of ways, including as a receiver, running back and return man — just as he did the Aggies over five seasons.
“(Teams) have been talking about mainly receiver, playing a little bit of running back in third-down situations,” Smith said of his projected role in the NFL. “We’ll see. … I’ve talked to almost all 32 (teams).”
Smith, always good for a chuckle, added with a grin, “I’m not really able to name them all, because there are about 32 of them.”