KC Concepcion adds versatility, swagger to Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M junior KC Concepcion oozes confidence. At 5-foot-11 with elite speed and a gift for making tacklers miss, the junior transfer from Charlotte, N.C., was one of the top players in the transfer portal after last season.

He closed out his first media session after the first day of fall practice with a simple message: “Get your popcorn ready.”

The NC State transfer rattles off the Aggies’ offensive returners to make the case for why Texas A&M should have a potent offense this year. He and fellow transfer Mario Craver are expected to bolster the Aggies’ receiving corps.

“We got everybody back,” he says. “Of course we went out and got a few receivers. But we got the offensive line coming  back. We got Marcel going into Year 2. We got all the running backs coming back, and then we brought in a whole bunch of new receivers, explosive receivers, and all of us can do something with the ball in our hands.”

Concepcion aspires to be the best wide receiver in the nation, and he’s not afraid to mention that goal publicly. He’s probably the most versatile player on Texas A&M’s offense.

Concepcion was the 2023 ACC Rookie and Offensive Rookie of the Year after setting NC State’s freshman records for receptions (71), yards (839) and touchdowns (10). Five different outlets named Concepcion to their Freshman All-America teams in 2023.

Paul Hornung watch list

He arrives at Texas A&M with 124 career catches for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdown catches. He also has two rushing touchdowns over 356 career rushing yards on 60 carries.

“Versatility is one of my best traits,” he says. “I can play outside. I can play inside. You can line me up at running back (and) you can line me up at ‘wildcat’ quarterback. You can put me on the field. Whatever you want me to do, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”

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The numbers back up Concepcion’s self evaluation. At NC State, he  averaged 5.9 yards per carry and 10.48 yards per reception. He also was productive against teams ranked in the Associated Press’ Top 25,  averaging 5.3 catches per game against Top 25 teams.

KC Concepcion was recently named to the preseason watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, which honors college football’s most versatile player.

He counts the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and DeAndre Hopkins among the receivers he has studied closely. Concepcion has studied Chase’s moves after receptions. He has also studied Jefferson’s route running. 

“Just like watching these guys and being able to implement something in their game in my game just to make me even better,” he says of Chase, Jefferson and Hopkins.

Trust in Marcel Reed

Although opposing recruiters denigrated quarterback Marcel Reed to him, Concepcion judged his new quarterback for himself before committing to the Aggies after giving Texas A&M his last official visit.

“I was hearing that Marcel wasn’t a good passer,” Concepcion said. “But whenever I … came on the visit here, he surprised me the first day. I’m like, ‘This is the same exact kid that everybody’s talking about (saying he) can’t throw the ball.’

“And then ever since I came down here we’ve just been working on getting together our connection. He’s just honestly been perfect.”

Texas A&M’s defensive backs have been impressed by Concepcion. 

“I honestly think he’s super fast,” Marcus Ratcliffe said of Concepcion. “He can really catch any 50-50, and his route routing is super elite, so I think it’s a great opportunity to get to go against somebody like that.”