While most focus at Texas A&M this preseason has been on the rather significant change at quarterback, the Aggies are making a fairly significant transition on the offensive line as well.
Jake Matthews was a consensus All-American at left tackle last season and was the first-round draft pick — sixth overall — of the Atlanta Falcons this past May. His replacement this season will be Cedric Ogbuehi, who will be switching over from right tackle to fill the void.
Matthews made the same change for A&M when Luke Joeckel moved on to the NFL the previous year.
“The biggest difference is just technique,” said Ogbuehi, a 6-foot-5, 300-pounder from Allen, Texas. “But tackle is tackle. It was hard at first but, once you get used to it, it’s just the same thing from the other side.”
Ogbuehi is nothing if not experienced. While he hasn’t played left tackle before now, he has played every other position. A four-year starter for the Aggies, he played guard as a freshman and sophomore.
His assignment this year may be slightly different that his predecessors. Under quarterback Johnny Manziel the last two seasons, linemen never knew when Manziel might pull the ball down and run or reverse field on them. The Aggies will employ a new quarterback this season in either freshman Kyle Allen or sophomore Kenny Hill. Both are mobile but neither to the extent that Manziel was.
“It’s the same thing,” Ogbuehi said. “My freshman year I blocked for (Ryan) Tannehill. Blocking is really just blocking.”
And that is something Texas A&M has always done well. Early draft projections have Ogbuehi as another first-rounder.
