Texas A&M Football: 3 Reasons Gator Bowl is a must-watch
2. HeisMann caliber special teams
The Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation’s top punter, currently resides in Aggieland. The Aggies special teams ace Braden Mann took home the award in 2018 edging out Cincinnati’s James Smith and Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky thanks to a record-breaking season.
Mann led the nation with a 51.2 average on 47 punts. He set an NCAA record against Alabama earlier this season, averaging 60.8 yards per punt on five attempts. Several of those helped him set another record, 14 punts of 60 yards or more in a single season. He had 18 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line and blasted a season-long 82-yard punt against Kentucky.
Most people aren’t going to turn on a game to watch the punter, but the power and accuracy of Mann’s missiles this season has been nothing short of mesmerizing. Mann has already announced his intention to return for his senior season, making the bowl game the next of at least a dozen showcases he’ll have remaining in his college career. If he keeps kicking like this he’ll become the next in a long line of Aggie specialists playing in the NFL.