Texas A&M defensive lineman DJ Hicks is headed into preseason camp with a different kind of confidence than the one that comes from raw talent alone. For Hicks, the big lesson has been patience, and he says that patience has put him in position for a larger leadership role in 2026.
After the Aggies’ first fall practice, Hicks looked back on a college path that has not always moved the way many expected when he arrived as one of the country’s top recruits. The former five-star prospect said the adjustment to a developmental route, rather than instant stardom, took time.
“It’s been a little hard at first, but you know you’ve got to run your race,” Hicks said. “(The) older I got, the more I noticed everybody can’t be a three-and-done, you know?
Not everybody is meant to start right away, you know; you just gotta run your race and take your time. With time and with learning, you will become what you want to be.”
That outlook has helped shape Hicks into a veteran presence in College Station. Instead of getting stuck on limited early opportunities, he leaned into learning from older players and sharpening his technique along the way.
He also made it clear that staying at Texas A&M was never just about football. In a college game where the transfer portal gives players plenty of quick exits, Hicks said his connection to the program and the people around it made the decision easy.
“My two biggest things are that I just love this place, I love being here, I love being an Aggie,” Hicks said. “It’s really hard for me to want to leave.
Also, my coaching staff- playing for coach Elko, how they believe in me and how they’ve developed me into a better man as well as a better player. It’s so hard to just want to leave this place; I really believe in the stuff we can do here.”
Now Texas A&M is counting on experienced voices like Hicks to hold down the defensive front, and he looks ready for that responsibility. His ability was never really the question; the wait was the story.
With a bigger role coming, Hicks says his patience, trust in his coaches and commitment to Texas A&M have him ready to deliver the kind of impact people imagined when he first arrived three years ago.
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