In the last several recruiting cycles, decommitments have become increasingly uncommon for the Texas A&M Aggies. But head coach Kevin Sumlin and his staff suffered a rare loss on Wednesday evening when the news broke that Katy (Texas) all-purpose back Rodney Anderson had decided to reopen his recruitment, as broken by Taylor Hamm of GigEm247.
4-star RB Rodney Anderson decommits from the Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies lost one of their two 2015 running back pledges.
The 6’, 204-pound Anderson is a consensus four-star prospect rated as the No. 15 all-purpose back in the country and the No. 14 player in the state of Texas in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Overall, that’s good enough for him to come in at No. 124 nationally.
A versatile back, Anderson originally committed to Texas A&M in early August of 2013. The decision happened as a result of Anderson reconsidering the Air Raid offense employed by Sumlin:
Saying he thinks other programs may suit his running style better, Katy RB Rodney Anderson has decommitted from #TAMU.
— Mark Passwaters (@themarkup) April 24, 2014
Texas A&M commits and fan sites responded to the news on Twitter, including five-star defensive tackle pledge Daylon Mack:
My boy Rodney Anderson decommitted
— THEE MACK TRUCK (@DaylonMack) April 24, 2014
I feel like we need to ceremoniously destroy this tweet now. https://t.co/JVoS8Z2IhT
— Good Bull Hunting (@GBHunting) April 24, 2014
The news comes on the heels of a visit to Oklahoma earlier in April for Anderson. He holds offers from Auburn, Baylor, Houston, Michigan State, Texas, and Texas Tech.
An injury to current Nebraska running back Adam Taylor allowed Anderson to burst onto the recruiting scene as a freshman at state power Katy in 2011. He gained more than 1,100 yards on the ground that season and hasn't slowed down since. He worked more as a receiver with 436 receiving yards when Taylor returned in 2012 and then took advantage of Taylor's graduation by rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and 34 touchdowns last fall.
The Aggies now have eight commitments in the 2015 class, which ranks No. 6 nationally, but only fourth in the SEC, according to the 247Sports Composite team rankings. Splendora (Texas) running back Jay Bradford remains pledged to Texas A&M, as he has been since August 2013.
