Texas A&M 2023 college football season countdown: No. 28 Josh DeBerry
Fear not, Aggie fans, meaningful college football is just around the corner, with the start of the 2023 season just under a month away! Here at Aggies Wire, we’ll be counting down by looking at each Texas A&M football player that corresponds to the number of days left till the start of the football season.
With 28 days until the season opener, we’re looking at No. 28 for the Maroon and White: graduate defensive back Josh DeBerry.
The Aggies landed DeBerry, one of the top remaining players in the transfer portal, back in April to help fortify a secondary that saw considerable turnover through the offseason. The former Boston College defensive back joined Tony Grimes and Sam McCall as the other additions to join the Maroon and White through the portal.
DeBerry was a three-time All-ACC selection at defensive back, having recorded 50 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and an interception in 2022 while lining up primarily in the nickel spot. He finished with a stellar 75.7 tackling grade and a 72.1 run defense grade according to Pro Football Focus, having missed just 9.6 percent of his tackles last season.
Much like the additions of Grimes and McCall, DeBerry’s experience will be counted on to ensure that a stout pass defense from a season ago doesn’t miss a beat once the 2023 campaign gets underway. The Aggies allowed just 162.1 passing yards per game in 2022, which was the best mark in the SEC. However, the departures of Antonio Johnson and Jaylon Jones created holes that could only be adequately filled through the portal.
Given that context, DeBerry’s versatility, toughness, experience, and knack for bringing opposing players to the ground will be counted on mightily in order for Texas A&M’s defense to reach its full potential in 2023. Even if its only for one season, it just so happens to come at a critical point for the program, which highlights the value DeBerry brings heading into the fall.
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