Texas A&M Football: Season Rewind - Deshawn Capers-Smith

Sophomore cornerback Deshawn Capers-Smith was thrust into the starting lineup late in the season due to all the injuries in the secondary for the Texas A&M football team.

Stats

After playing sparingly in three of the first seven games, Capers-Smith was forced into the starting role for the final five games of the regular season. In eight games of action, Capers-Smith recorded 26 tackles and 3 passes defended.

Recap

A three star recruit out of New Orleans, Capers-Smith was a high school quarterback at Warren Easton High School. He transitioned to the defensive side of the ball when he joined Texas A&M, playing sparingly as a true freshman under coach John Chavis.

At the beginning of the season he was behind UCLA transfer Priest Willis on the defensive depth chart. Willis missed both games against the Mississippi schools as well as the the New Mexico State game. That opened up more playing time for Capers-Smith

The sophomore played well in relief of Willis, but was burned badly a few times including a 60 yard touch touchdown pass from Nick Fitzgerald to Fred Ross in the Mississippi State game. It was a simple go route and he was outrun for an easy score.

Looking Ahead

Justin Evans will enter the NFL draft as a senior, but the status of the rest of the secondary is uncertain at this point. Juniors Donovan Wilson and Armani Watts could go either way. If they do both decide to leave it would leave Capers-Smith as the most experienced member of the starting defensive backs.

Capers-Smith will have some work to do in the offseason, but his size and toughness put him in the perfect position to make a leap next year. He’s played less than a dozen games at cornerback . He will continue to improve as he learns the position – look at converted running back and current NFL cornerback Brandon Williams.

***Sources 247sports, Sports-Reference.com***