The 2025 college football season saw a lot of new faces in College Station with the Texas A&M Aggies, such as the dynamic duo of KC Concepcion and Mario Craver transferring in from North Carolina State and Mississippi State, respectively.
But underneath the two standouts was a wideout from the state of Texas, not too far from College Station in the town of Missouri City named Ashton Bethel-Roman, who enjoyed a breakout year during his second year with the Aggies with 24 catches for 503 yards and five touchdowns.
Now, with a full year of starting under his belt, "ABR" will be expected to take on a higher role of leadership, and according to the man himself, he's already started.
Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman (3) makes a catch for a touchdown during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Saturday afternoon, after the conclusion of the team's fall camp practice, Bethel-Roman spoke to the media about the season and the new age of receivers on the team, and started by laying out how his leadership has become more evident as the season begins to come into focus.
"I've been a little bit more vocal. Usually that's not who I am; I've never been the loudest person in the room," the receiver said. "If I could avoid confrontation, I try to. But, I've been maturing and getting older."
The wideout mentioned the A&M receivers that came before him and molded him into the player he is, and how he would use that knowledge to teach the newbies the ropes in College Station.
"I'm just trying to show them what I was shown by the Moose's, the Jahdae's, the guys that I came in with," Bethel-Roman said. "Just trying to show the younger guys how things operate and how things work."
The Missouri City native also gave some insight to some dark horses on the corps, guys that could one day be taking his spot after he goes off to the NFL.
"TK Norman. He is kind of like me, like he's got all the potential in the world," the receiver said. "He's just got to put it all together and he's putting it together. Jayden Warren, he's just like me my freshman year. I was all speed and I would get in my head so much trying to learn the plays and how everything was working."
"And then Kelshaun Johnson, he's shown the most growth out of everybody in the receiving room, hands down."
Bethel-Roman and the rest of the Aggies gear up for their season opener against the Missouri State Bears on September 5 at Kyle Field.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tamu as This Texas A&M Standout Is Turning His Veteran Status Into Leadership .
