Texas A&M enters 2026 with real uncertainty in the middle of its defensive line, and DJ Hicks is one of the players best positioned to calm it down.
The Aggies lost Albert Regis and Tyler Onyedim, leaving a noticeable opening at defensive tackle. Texas A&M responded by bringing in key transfer help and adding another wave of young talent, but Hicks brings something the others can’t quite match yet: experience, familiarity with the system, and the trust of the staff. That matters in a spot where the work is dirty, the spotlight is scarce, and the numbers rarely tell the whole story.
Hicks has spent three seasons in a rotational role, showing enough flashes to keep the staff interested without fully delivering on the hype that followed him out of high school. A strong offseason has pushed him into the conversation as one of the unit’s breakout candidates. If that growth carries over, he could become the answer to a lot of questions in the heart of the defense.
The former five-star came out of Allen with a loaded résumé. In the Class of 2023 rankings, he checked in as the National No. 11 prospect, the No. 1 defensive lineman, and the No. 2 player in Texas.
His high school production backed that up. As a junior, Hicks earned Texas District 5‑6A Defensive MVP honors after piling up 88 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks.
He was also a Texas Sportswriters Association 6A first-team all-state selection. As a senior, he closed his prep career as the Texas District 19‑6A Co-Defensive MVP.
For 2026, the expectation is straightforward: Hicks should see plenty of snaps from Day 1. The interior line is set to rotate early, much like defensive end, and while the group may not settle on true starters until around midseason, Hicks has a clear path to a larger role. He started only a few games last year, but the talent is there and the system is already familiar.
If the consistency finally matches the upside, Hicks could be a central piece in stabilizing a defensive tackle room that’s very much in transition.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Just Got A Huge Boost At Linebacker
Texas A&Ms linebacker picture got a welcome dose of optimism this week when Mike Elko offered an encouraging update on Daymion Sanford. The Aggies were already bracing for a long wait after Sanford suffered a severe injury in the spring game, but the early read out of camp suggests he is moving in the right direction as the opener approaches.
Elko said Sanford will be worked back throughout preseason camp, with his progress monitored along the way, which matters for a defense that wants as much depth as it can get. Even with the injury scare still fresh, the outlook is no longer centered on recovery alone, and that gives Texas A&M a little more stability heading into the matchup with Missouri State. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Camp Opens With 3 Offensive Questions Fans Can't Ignore
Preseason football is about to pick up in College Station, with Texas A&M set to hold its first practice Wednesday as preparations begin for the 2026 opener against Missouri State. Mike Elko is scheduled to speak with reporters Tuesday, and hell do so with a roster that has been reshaped but not completely remade, thanks to 65 percent of the group returning, 17 transfer additions and another strong recruiting class helping fill in the gaps.
Still, the first real questions in camp are the kinds that tend to define a season before it even starts. Texas A&M is trying to settle the offensive line after significant turnover, and the staff also has to sort out how the new scheme under coordinator Holmon Wiggins will come together in practice. Those answers wont arrive all at once, but this is the point in August when the Aggies start learning whether the new pieces can blend quickly enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Zach Clemence May Be Becoming A Bigger Piece For Texas A&M
Texas A&Ms basketball offseason has been about sorting out a roster that looks different, but still carries real expectations into Bucky McMillans second year. After getting the Aggies back to the NCAA Tournament in his first season, McMillan brought in six transfers and kept some important holdovers in Mackenzie Mgbako, Zach Clemence and Jamie Vinson, giving the program a mix of continuity and change as it works through summer competition.
That blend showed up in the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League, where Texas A&M beat the Victoria Vikes with strong showings from Mgbako, PJ Haggerty and Clemence. For the Aggies, Clemences role is one of the more interesting subplots on the roster, because any growth from him could give McMillan another useful piece as the team tries to build on last seasons breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]