Week 5's Overnight Sensation: Dezz Ricks, Cornerback

In a 16-10 SEC opening win over Auburn, cornerback Dezz Ricks was instrumental in Texas A&M's best defensive performance all year.

Playing every defensive snap, Ricks set the tone with lock-down coverage all day.

Alongside Will Lee III, the redshirt sophomore was responsible for lining up against All-SEC receiver Cam Coleman, who was held to just 18 yards and four completions on eight targets.

A&M placed an emphasis on locking down Coleman, who was averaging 59 yards a game before Auburn's trip to College Station.

"(Coleman) had a huge night against us last year," head coach Mike Elko said. "That obviously creates a sense of pride to not allow that to happen again. I think we tried to pay a lot of attention to him from a cover standpoint, doubling him and helping in that direction. We were able to execute that at a really good level today."

Last year against Auburn, Ricks gave up a 63-yard touchdown pass to Coleman, along with gains of 31 and 44, as the Auburn offense exploded for 301 yards through the air.

This time around, Ricks got his revenge.

In the second quarter, Ricks forced an incompletion on a Coleman target in the end zone, a drive that resulted in a field goal because of the effort from No. 2. A 7-0 ballgame at the time, the magnitude of Ricks' play only grew as points became a premium.

The Aggie defense continued to swarm, not allowing a single third- or fourth-down conversation on 15 total attempts.

Ricks made another play in the second frame, covering Perry Thompson. His hand disrupted the path of the ball and forced an incompletion on what could have been a 20-plus yard gain for the Tigers.

In August, Billy Liucci highlighted Ricks as a player to keep an eye on, making tremendous strides throughout the offseason.

"For Ricks, it was only a matter of time before it all came together. On-field experience and last year's stretch struggles are the primary reasons the motivated young defender has put together such a strong month of August. I've also been telling anyone who would listen that Ricks has looked better and better every step of the way this offseason."

A year removed from one of his worst performances in coverage, the strides Ricks has made in the secondary were evident.

Ricks’ stats vs. Auburn
Tackles: 3
Solo Tackles: 3
Interceptions: 0
Pass Breakups: 1

Ricks’ 2025 stats
Tackles: 5
Solo Tackles: 4
Interceptions: 0
Pass Breakups: 3