Whether or not Texas A&M filled its needs at fullback remains in question, as the Aggies signed just one player to the position on Feb. 6.

But one thing is for certain: Bryce Reed can fill out a lot of things – uniforms and backfields, included.

At 6-foot-1 and 255 pounds, the Dallas Samuel product could rekindle the power and punch that JaMar Toombs brought to the position a couple of seasons ago.

Of course, Toombs became a fan favorite at Kyle Field with some of his amazing runs to daylight. Reed may not have Toombs’ deft running style in the open field, but for a quick burst or a collision at the line of scrimmage, Reed seems to fit the bill.

"He may be more than 255 pounds," says Samuel coach Steve Pierce. "I think the thing that stands out about Bryce is his foot speed. He’s not going to have a blistering 40 time, but he just has a real good start and he has agile feet. That’s where he was effective for us at fullback when we utilized him."

The Aggies had other fullback targets that fell through during the recruiting season, but credit A&M assistant coach and Dallas recruiter Kevin Sumlin for staying the course to find Reed. And with seniors Joe Weber and Stacy Jones as the lone fullbacks on the roster, landing Reed became critical for this class.

"That was kind of the impression I got from Coach Sumlin," Pierce said. "He was a sleeper who kind of got overlooked. I think he’s definitely a kid who can develop into (the position.)

"The thing I tried to warn Bryce about – and I think he learned on his visit – is that he’s got a lot of work ahead of him. It’s not going to be like he’s the biggest and strongest around. There’s going to be a whole bunch on the field just like him."

In high school, Reed dominated as a defensive lineman, while playing fullback intermittently. As a junior, Reed tallied 33 tackles and six stops behind the line of scrimmage. And if the fullback role doesn’t work out for Reed, Pierce said the defensive line would be a natural safety net for him.

"If it doesn’t work out for him, I feel pretty confident he’ll be able to contribute on the defensive line," Pierce added. "He primarily played defensive end. He played some fullback off and on, but we felt like that kind of took away from his performance on the defensive side of the ball. And he was so valuable to us there. We started putting him at nose guard, and it made a big difference for us."

When Reed did play fullback, especially in Samuel’s goal-line package, Toombs-like results often followed. Samuel soared deep into the playoffs and finished with an 8-5 record, and Pierce said Reed’s play was a key to Samuel’s surge.

With his 4.75 speed in the 40-yard dash, Reed even was able to scoot out into the flat as a safety-valve receiver. Not bad for a 255-pounder who can squat 600 pounds and bench more than 350 pounds.

And while serving as team captain, Reed was often seen out in the community, helping tutor kids at various elementary schools in the Dallas area.

"I know coach Sumlin was really impressed with him," Pierce said. "They really do feel like he’ll turn into the type of fullback they like to use in their system. I hope it will work out for him. I hope it works out for both parties."

– Homer Jacobs