All-Big 12 wide receiver Jeff Fuller has decided to forgo his inclusion in the 2011 NFL Draft and return for his senior season at Texas A&M, head coach Mike Sherman announced on Friday.
With Fuller’s return, the Aggies return 10 of 11 starters from an A&M offense that averaged 441.8 yards of total offense per game in 2010, including 276.8 passing yards per contest. The Aggies finished the season with a 9-4 record and a No. 19 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25, which was A&M’s first final top 25 ranking in more than 10 years.
“We’re extremely happy that Jeff decided to return to A&M for his senior season,” Sherman said. “He will be closer to earning his degree and will be an excellent senior leader on our team.”
Fuller, from McKinney Boyd High School, had a record-setting season in 2010 with 72 catches for 1,066 yards and 12 touchdowns, which tied or broke school records in all three categories. With one season to play, Fuller already owns the career receiving touchdowns record with 29 and ranks No. 2 in career catches and yards.
“After talking to Coach Sherman, Coach (Troy) Walters and my family, I decided that playing in the NFL could wait,” Fuller said. “I’m excited about our team and the guys I came into school with. There are a lot of areas I need to work on and another year will put me closer to earning my degree and that is important to my family. I had a great example in Von (Miller). He decided to come back and he really helped our team improve and I believe he improved his position in the upcoming draft and he is only a few hours short of his degree.”
Fuller’s return caps an impressive senior-to-be class, which will easily be the largest of the Sherman era at A&M. Next year’s senior class will have over 20 members, including 19 scholarship student-athletes. The 2010 team had just 12 seniors, including 10 on scholarship.
Among the returning starters that will be seniors in 2011 are Fuller, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back Cyrus Gray, defensive linemen Tony Jerod-Eddie and Jonathan Mathis, linebacker Garrick Williams and defensive backs Trent Hunter, Terrence Frederick and Coryell Judie.
TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL BREAKDOWN FOR 2011
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 10
QB– Ryan Tannehill, 6-4, 219, Sr-3L, Big Spring, TX (6 QB starts in 2010, 6 QB career starts)
WR– Jeff Fuller, 6-4, 215, Sr-3L, McKinney, TX (13 starts in 2010, 28 career starts)
WR– Ryan Swope, 6-0, 204, Jr-2L, Austin, TX (13 starts in 2010, 14 career starts)
WR– Uzoma Nwachukwu, 6-0, 194, Jr-2L, Allen, TX (6 starts in 2010, 19 career starts)
LT– Luke Joeckel, 6-6, 304, So-1L, Arlington, TX (13 starts in 2010, 13 career starts)
LG– Brian Thomas, 6-3, 303, Jr-1L, Pearland, TX (13 starts in 2010, 13 career starts)
RG– Patrick Lewis, 6-2, 303, Jr-2L, LaPlace, LA (13 starts in 2010, 22 career starts)
RT– Jake Matthews, 6-5, 295, So-1L, Missouri City, TX (7 starts in 2010, 7 career starts)
TE– Nehemiah Hicks, 6-4, 248, So-1L, Hutto, TX (Hutto) (9 starts in 2010, 9 career starts)
RB– Cyrus Gray, 5-10, 198, Jr-2L, DeSoto, TX (9 starts in 2009, 17 career starts)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS LOST: 1
C– Matt Allen, 6-2, 295, Two Letters, Sugar Land, TX (13 starts in 2010, 19 career)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 8
DT– Jonathan Mathis, 6-2, 285, Sr-1L, Houston, TX (7 starts in 2010, 7 career starts)
DE– Tony Jerod-Eddie, 6-5, 300, Sr-3L, DeSoto, TX (13 starts in 2010, 25 career starts)
ILB- Garrick Williams, 6-2, 234, Sr-3L, DeSoto, TX (13 starts in 2010, 29 career starts)
OLB- Sean Porter, 6-2, 220, Jr-2L, Schertz, TX (13 starts in 2010, 15 career starts)
FS– Trent Hunter, 5-10, 190, Sr-3L, Katy, TX (13 starts in 2009, 21 career starts)
SS– Steven Campbell, 6-0, 202, Jr-2L, Houston, TX (7 starts in 2010, 7 career starts)
CB– Terrence Frederick, 5-10, 184, Sr-3L, Katy, TX (13 starts in 2010, 32 career starts)
CB– Coryell Judie, 5-11, 188, Sr-1L, Marlin, TX (10 starts in 2010, 10 career starts)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS LOST: 3
Joker– Von Miller, 6-3, 258, Four Letters, DeSoto, TX (13 starts in 2009, 30 career starts)
ILB- Michael Hodges, 6-0, 226, Two Letters, Helotes, TX (13 starts in 2010, 22 career starts)
DE– Lucas Patterson, 6-4, 295, Four Letters, Kingsville, TX (13 starts in 2010, 38 career)
SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERS RETURNING: 6
HOL- Ryan Tannehill, 6-4, 219, Sr-3L, Big Spring, TX
SNP- Ben Bredthauer, 6-4, 257, Jr-2L, Houston, TX
P– Ryan Epperson, 6-2, 191, Jr-2L, Keller, TX (37.6 avg)
PK– Randy Bullock, 5-9, 205, Sr-3L, Klein, TX (16-of-21 FG, 50-of-50 PAT)
PR– Kenric McNeal, 6-1, 180, Jr-2L, Livingston, TX (5.8 avg)
KR– Coryell Judie, 5-11, 188, Sr-1L, Marlin, TX (30.2 avg. per return/2 TDs)