Texas A&M Football: 2017 projected 2-deep depth chart

Linebacker

Starting outside linebackers: Otaro Alaka, Anthony Hines
Backups: Dwaine Thomas, Justin Dunning

This is the most talented group of linebackers that Kevin Sumlin has had in College Station. Hines is easily the most talented he’s recruited in his time with the Aggies. The true freshman will be starting on Saturdays in the SEC. That’s no small praise for such a young player.

Where he fits into the puzzle has yet to be determined. That depends partly on what personnel that defensive coordinator John Chavis decides to utilize. Last year the Aggies played a good amount of 4-2-5 and formations with only a few linebackers on the field. They just didn’t have the depth and had to rely on Shaan Washington to be an every down player.

That will change this year. A healthy Otaro Alaka will fill one of the outside spots. If he does slide into the middle that would push Hines to the outside. The third spot will be filled by one of a handful of young players. Dwaine Thomas, Mac Labhart and 12th Man Cullen Gllaspia. One of those three will rise to the top after a few weeks, but each of them will see a fair share of snaps next season.

Starting middle linebacker: Tyrel Dodson
Backups: Otaro Alaka, Anthony Hines

Middle linebacker is somewhat of a question mark for the Aggies. It’s not that they don’t have any middle linebackers on the roster, rather it’s dependent on how Chavis decides to use his players. The defense will go through several permutations before a true number one emerges midway through the first half of the year.

As of right now the plug-and-play option should be Tyrel Dodson. A Franklin, Tennessee native, Dodson played a reserve role on the Aggie defense last season. He finished with 27 tackles in 10 appearances