Two things happened during Texas A&M's sixth preseason on Wednesday afternoon: rising sophomore Edge Marco Jones made one of the more impressive tackles, taking down freshman running back KJ Edwards almost immediately. A couple of plays later, Edwards, using impressive vision and footwork, made his way to the end zone, looking like a player who should receive playing time this fall.
The proverbial "drumbeat" for players who continue to stack impressive performances includes several Aggies, including Jones and Edwards, who, among stacked rotations, are slowly but surely forcing their hand to receive extended playing time, and while Marco Jones is expected to start at the Jack position as a hybrid linebacker and pass rusher, Edwards is competing for the No. 3 running back job with redshirt freshman Tiger Riden.
However, based on new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins' press conference on Tuesday, Tiger Riden's size and physical running style should, and will likely, be utilized in short-yardage or red zone situations. Rueben Owens and Jamarion Morrow will continue to compete for the starting job, while KJ Edwards looks like the most explosive option with the potential to burst for long runs on early downs.
Over the next two weeks, third-year coach Mike Elko and running backs coach Trooper Taylor will need to decide if a running back-by-committee approach is the way to go, which will guarantee KJ Edwards sees the field, similar to former star RB DeVon Achane's usage during his freshman season.
One heck of a TD run from Texas A&M freshman KJ Edwards in practice 😳 (via @AggieFootball). pic.twitter.com/cClz98HEw2
— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) August 13, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M freshman RB continues his push for playing time this season