In today’s college football recruiting landscape, instant gratification and unrealistic expectations are the order of the day. So perhaps it comes as a bit of a surprise that in signing blue-chip linebacker Archie McDaniel of Bay City, Texas A&M employed a tried and true philosophy – patience and persistence.

A bit old-fashioned? Maybe so, but the end result was also a refreshing blast from the not-so-distant past. When McDaniel’s letter-of-intent arrived on Feb. 6, A&M had landed one of the nation’s top prep linebackers, something the Aggies had been unable to do in each of the two previous classes.

The Aggies entered the 2002 recruiting race with a dire need at the inside linebacker position. Heavy senior losses, transfers and several near-misses in the recruiting race were the three reasons why the Aggies suddenly found themselves searching for several players to fill a major void at linebacker, the Wrecking Crew’s glamour position.

The Aggies needed answers, particularly on the inside. Enter Archie

McDaniel, a 6-2, 225-pound inside ’backer whom the Aggie coaching staff had been watching closely ever since his sophomore season.

"We had Archie in our 2000 summer camp, and two things jumped out at us right away," said A&M ILB coach Alan Weddell. "The first was his natural ability. As a junior, he was, by far, the best linebacker there. He had it all: great reactions, a tremendous understanding of the game and exceptional quickness. The great thing about Archie McDaniel was his personality. He always had a smile on his face, and he truly wanted to learn and get better."

Because of McDaniel’s familiarity with Aggieland and the fact that two of his former Bay City teammates were true freshmen at A&M, many insiders felt that McDaniel was an Aggie lock. Unfortunately, no one passed that memo along to the Black Cats’ three-year starter. After a mid-season visit to Baton Rouge, McDaniel shocked everyone when he verbally committed to LSU.

When McDaniel cancelled a mid-January visit to College Station, the Aggies’ chances to land the LB star dimmed considerably.

But the Aggie coaches continued making phone calls and in-house visits, and two days before Signing Day, the perseverance paid off. Finally convinced to officially visit the A&M campus in late January, McDaniel was blown away by what he saw.

"The linebacker position was a very important area for us, and Archie and Nurahda Manning were our top players on the board," said Weddell. "It was a battle that we needed to win because they looked like the ones that could get on the field the fastest."

There’s very little doubt that next fall, McDaniel will be one of the first freshmen to see the field. A three-year starter, McDaniel burst onto the scene as a sophomore with 125 tackles and five fumble recoveries.

As a junior, McDaniel earned 4A All-State honors and was the District Defensive MVP after recording 178 tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions. This fall, the co-anchor of the Black Cats’ stifling defense recorded 151 stops, 17 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 45-yard score. For his efforts, McDaniel was named Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year.

Statistics aside, Archie McDaniel is the perfect fit for the Wrecking Crew. McDaniel’s combination of size, speed, and agility make him the type of linebacker who will never leave the field. In the days of mass substitution and specialization, having an every-down ’backer is a precious commodity.

"You’re always wanting to get your best personnel on the field, that’s why you do all the substituting," said Weddell. "However, it’s kind of like when Dat Nguyen was here, he never came off the field. When your best linebacker can stay on the field, it gives you continuity in the huddle."

– Billy Liucci