Speedy Ashton Bethel-Roman rollin' towards breakout campaign in '25

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His initials are ABR.

Instead of Ashton Bethel-Roman, the wide receiver could be known as Ashton "Be Rollin'" this fall.

That's how he described his speed, which has the redshirt freshman primed to possibly emerge as a key contributor in 2025.

"I feel like I improved every part of my game," Bethel-Roman said following Texas A&M's Friday practice. "Last year, it was just straight, downfield speed. I focused on that, but it's everywhere in my game now. I can stop on a dime. I attack the ball more now. The offseason really helped."

Buzz around Bethel-Roman began even before the start of fall camp.

After catching a 15-yard touchdown from Marcel Reed in the Maroon & White Game this spring, head coach Mike Elko frequently praised Bethel-Roman throughout his Coach's Night tour of Texas.

Now with 13 fall practices complete, the Richmond native's name continues to pop up. Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Collin Klein listed him among Jamarion Morrow and Amari Daniels as standouts from the Aggies' first and only scrimmage.

"Ashton Bethel-Roman continues to develop and use his long speed and ability to run routes," Klein said on Tuesday. "I was really excited to see a lot of different guys step up and make plays."

His speed is a big reason for that excitement, and he comes by it honestly.

His father, Mark Roman, spent 10 years as a safety in the NFL, while his mother, Ashley Bethel-Roman, ran track at LSU.

Even as a youngster at Missouri City's Ridge Point High School, he used his speed on the gridiron and (begrudingly) on the track.

"I ran track just to please my mama because she ran track," Ashton said. "I didn't like it."

In high school, he ran a personal best of 21.51 in the 200m. That kind of speed would certainly qualify him as what Klein described as a "home run" threat earlier this fall.

Even the A&M defense is taking notice of a kid with just four career catches for 44 yards to his credit. Just ask cousin and teammate Bryce Anderson.

"He's so fast," the safety said of Bethel-Roman. "He's explosive. He can accelerate off the line. He gets from zero to 100 real quick, and his long ball. He can take the top off the coverage any time.

"He knows he has a chance to have a breakout year this year, so I'm seeing him really push himself every day."

It's no secret the Aggies need more production from their wideouts to improve on 2024's 8-5 finish.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs

As a true freshman in 2024, Ashton Bethel-Roman played in just four games. 

That's why Elko, Klein and receivers coach Holmon Wiggins brought in transfers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver as well as five-star freshman Jerome Myles.

Sophomore Terry Bussey returns for another year in the Aggie offense and has also drawn praise, regardless of what social media practice clips might indicate.

But don't overlook the second-year man with four games of experience.

He's primed and ready to be whatever quarterback Marcel Reed needs him to be.

"The whole offense, it's overly explosive," ABR said. "Our receivers, from where we were last year to now, it's like night and day. It's insane.

"In the media, I'm always hearing that Marcel can't throw the deep ball or Marcel don't got an arm. He does. Like, he gets it out in front of me sometimes, and I be rollin'. I like it because it shows the explosiveness that the offense has the potential to be."

The more home runs, the better. Whatever gets the Aggies rollin'.