Former Purdue defender Nic Scourton is transferring to Texas A&M, 247Sports reports. It will be a homecoming of sorts for the top edge rusher and No. 8 overall player in 247Sports' transfer rankings, who signed with the Boilermakers in 2022 as a four-star prospect out of nearby Bryan, Texas. Scourton took a recent official visit to the Aggies and also had visits to Florida State, Oklahoma and Missouri lined up.
The 6-foot-4 and 280-pound Scourton entered the transfer portal after he led the Big Ten in sacks with 10 in 2023. He logged at least half a sack in eight out of 11 appearances and 15 tackles for loss. He also had 42 total quarterback pressures with big performances against a pair of then top-10 teams, notching two sacks against Michigan and one sack with a forced fumble against Ohio State.
Scourton's true freshman season began on the bench, though he came into a bigger role as 2022 wore on. He played in eight games from September to November but stepped into a feature role for the final two contests of the year, delivering the first two sacks of his career against Northwestern and Indiana, respectively.
Scourton fills huge need
Even without factoring in his lofty ranking, Scourton will likely be the most important get for Texas A&M during this transfer cycle, regardless of what happens between now and the start of the 2024 season. The Aggies had a ferocious pass rush in 2023, finishing seventh in the nation with 42 total sacks, but linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is taking eight of those with him to the NFL.
Two of Texas A&M's most effective pass rushers along the defensive line -- EDGE Fadil Diggs and interior lineman Walter Nolen -- entered the transfer portal and have already found new homes after recording four sacks apiece last year. Jumbo lineman McKinnley Jackson, who had three sacks, confirmed a couple months ago that 2023 would be his last season of college football.
On top of all that, Shemar Turner, who led all Texas A&M defensive linemen with six sacks, has yet to make a decision on his future. Leaving early for the NFL is a real possibility. If Turner returns with Scourton in the fold, the Aggies will boast one of the SEC's most potent pass-rushing tandems. Regardless, Scourton fills a huge area of need on first-year coach Mike Elko's defense.
Elko putting in work
It didn't take long for Elko to go about rebuilding Texas A&M's roster in his image after taking the job in late November. The Aggies already boast a robust transfer class that now stands at 10 commits following Scourton's decision.
That includes one of Scourton's former teammates in Purdue tight end transfer Garrett Miller, who is a three-star prospect in 247Sports' rankings. Miller is one of four skill position additions on the offensive side of the ball, joining a trio of wide receivers in four star Cyrus Allen (Louisiana Tech), three star Javon Harvey (Old Dominion) and walk on Wesley Watson (Kansas State).
Secondary is also a key area of emphasis. The highlight there is Kansas State transfer Will Lee III, a four-star prospect who notched two interceptions and six pass breakups in his first season with the Wildcats after a a year at the junior college level. Elko also hauled in a pair of veteran safeties in Trey Jones (Central Michigan) and De'Rickey Wright (Vanderbilt) to anchor the backend.
