Texas A&M’s preseason buzz is building fast, and Marcel Reed is right in the middle of it.
With the Aggies deep into their third practice of the preseason on Saturday afternoon, junior wide receiver Terry Bussey was the name drawing the loudest praise. After two years of learning the position, he reportedly looked every bit like the five-star talent Texas A&M thought it was getting. Injuries slowed his early progress, but a strong offseason has him pointed back in the right direction.
That matters because Reed is about to work with a receiver group that could be one of the best Texas A&M has put together in a long time. Junior Mario Craver leads the room, Isaiah Horton arrived from Alabama, and Bussey is trending upward.
Ashton Bethel-Roman was not included in On3 analyst Pete Nakos’ list of “top-end receivers,” but the overall talent around Reed is obvious. If the offensive line holds up, Reed will have plenty of options.
The redshirt junior quarterback has also opened camp looking sharp. Over the last three practices, he has reportedly played clean football and hit Horton with one of his better layered throws of the week. There’s no quarterback battle, but backup Brady Hart has also looked solid, aside from some minor accuracy issues.
Reed’s 2025 numbers already show what kind of load he carried: 3,169 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Now the challenge is simple. Texas A&M wants another run at the College Football Playoff, and that means Reed has to at least match that production while making better decisions in the biggest moments, especially when it comes to taking off and running.
That’s part of why Nakos slotted Reed at No. 10 in his “10 key quarterbacks to monitor” rankings ahead of the 2026 season.
“For all the success Marcel Reed has had, he still believes he has unfinished business at Texas A&M, he told On3 earlier this offseason. Key turnovers late in the season against Texas and Miami have stuck with him this offseason.
Limiting turnovers will be critical for Reed to take the next step in his game. The offense will look slightly different this fall following offensive coordinator Collin Klein’s departure for the Kansas State head coaching job.
Mike Elko tapped Holmon Wiggins as Klein’s successor; Wiggins has been on the Aggies’ staff for the previous two seasons. Reed will have a core of top-end receivers in Isaiah Horton, Mario Craver and Terry Bussey.”
That unfinished business is the whole story now. Reed has the talent, the weapons and another season in front of him. The next step is about cleaning up the late-game mistakes and pushing Texas A&M where it wants to go.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Faces A Terry Bussey Decision That Could Unlock Its Offense
Terry Bussey is heading into his junior year with the kind of versatility that can make an offense more dangerous, or more complicated, depending on how Texas A&M chooses to use him. He has already shown he can contribute as both a receiver and a return specialist, and the coaching staff is looking at ways to tap into that range of skills to create more favorable matchups across the offense and special teams.
For the Aggies, the question is not whether Bussey can help. It is how much the offense gains by narrowing his job description versus keeping him available in multiple roles. That decision matters because Busseys ability to move around and stress a defense in different ways could be part of what opens up the rest of the playbook, even if the exact usage plan still leaves one important piece unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
KJ Edwards Is Already Making Texas A&M's Backfield Battle Harder Ignore
Texas A&Ms backfield picture already had a real race taking shape for 2026, with redshirt junior Rueben Owens and rising sophomore Jamarion Morrow both in the mix for the starting job and Owens entering with a slight edge. But the signing class added another layer when blue-chip running back KJ Edwards showed up at a recent open practice and flashed the kind of explosiveness and vision that can change how a depth chart feels before anyone has taken a meaningful snap.
Edwards is still the new face in the room, so the learning curve in the offense matters, especially compared with backs who have been around the system longer. Even so, his athletic traits are hard to ignore, and the early read from the practice field is that he may force his way into more playing time sooner than expected if that burst keeps showing up once the real competition begins. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Is Suddenly Closing In On A Massive QB Decision
Texas A&Ms quarterback recruiting picture is suddenly coming into focus, and the next big swing arrives this weekend. Five-star signal-caller Donald Tabron III has narrowed his list to LSU, Oregon and the Aggies, after multiple visits to College Station helped him build relationships with the staff and put him squarely on Texas A&Ms radar as a priority target for the 2028 class.
The timing adds another layer of intrigue for a program trying to keep momentum on the trail, especially with analysts viewing the Aggies as a serious contender in the race. Tabrons decision will be one of the most closely watched recruiting developments of the week, and Texas A&M has done enough to make sure it is still very much in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]