Texas A&M Football: Safety Antonio Johnson leads the way for Aggies’ 2023 NFL Draft class

Who will be the next Texas A&M football first round NFL Draft pick? One ESPN expert tabbed safety Antonio Johnson as the Aggies’ next man up.

NFL Draft season never sleeps. Although rumors and news tend to pick up in the weeks leading up to the main event in late spring every year, mock drafts by leading experts and prognosticators help avid fans get through the remainder of the calendar as they await a fresh crop of stars for their favorite pro team.

Texas A&M football fans aren’t quite ready to let their star players go just yet, but there is some interest in the possibility of maintaining a newly reinvigorated NFL Draft streak that was renewed this year when the Houston Texans selected Kenyon Green No. 15 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Green’s selection marked the first time an Aggie had been picked in the opening day of the draft since Myles Garrett was chosen No. 1 overall in 2017. If Texas A&M football is going to stretch that one-year bump into a new streak, someone else will have to follow in his footsteps, but who?

Mel Kiper, lead draft analyst for ESPN, provided some interesting intel on who that “next man up” might be in his recently released big board. He tabbed Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson as his No. 24 overall player at the top-rated safety on his board. Running back Devon Achane is the No. 3 running back while Layden Robinson is his No. 1 guard.

None of those positions are particularly highly valued by the NFL community — at least, not to the degree of tackles, edge rushers or corners — but if you have talent, the NFL will find you.