Marcel Reed’s importance to Texas A&M is hard to miss, and the preseason buzz around him says as much. If the Aggies are going to get back to the College Football Playoff, Reed is the player most tied to that outcome.
When he played well last season, Texas A&M had a chance. When he didn’t, the team had no real answer.
That’s part of why Reed has landed on one of the biggest preseason lists in the sport. Bill Connelly recently ranked the top 40 most important players for the 2026 college football season, and the Aggies quarterback came in at No. 8 overall.
The list is heavy on quarterbacks, as it should be, and Reed sits among a group that includes No. 1 Keelon Russell, No.
4 Will Hammond, No. 5 Arch, No.
6 Dante, No. 9 Demond Williams Jr., No.
18 Terrell Anderson, No. 30 Duce, and No.
39 Owen McCown.
Connelly’s take on Reed was blunt and telling:
"Reed was like a more dangerous [John] Mateer: His mistakes were just as cataclysmic -- he had an even higher interception rate and lower completion rate, but he also made more big-time passes and rushed for more yards in far fewer attempts (while taking far fewer hits). He made mistakes in bunches, seemingly struggling to move past one before making another. If he can iron that out with more experience, he should have everything he needs to make another CFP push."
That description captures the roller coaster Reed brought to Texas A&M last season. He could look electric one series and out of rhythm the next. It was a classic boom-or-bust profile: brilliant when things clicked, damaging when they didn’t.
The Aggies have made some coaching changes this offseason that could help smooth out those rough edges. The former Aggie offensive coordinator, according to the source, didn’t always lean into Reed’s strengths in the losses. Now with Holmon Wiggins in the fold, there’s a belief that Reed’s best traits can be showcased more consistently, which would lift the whole offense with him.
The expectations are already huge, but Reed appears to be carrying himself like a quarterback who understands exactly what’s in front of him. His teammates are talking about him that way, too. For all the volatility he showed a year ago, he’s embracing the spotlight, and Texas A&M is counting on that confidence to turn into production when the season starts.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Freshmen Are Suddenly In The Middle Of Key Roster Battles
Texas A&Ms 2026 roster is already taking shape around a mix of transfers, established returners and a freshman class that could matter sooner than planned. The Aggies are still sorting out how the pieces fit, especially on a defensive line that has to absorb losses, while the wide receiver room remains one of the deeper groups on the team. In that kind of environment, freshmen do not have the luxury of easing in quietly, even if some of them are likely to open the season with only a small role.
Arrington appears to be the kind of newcomer who may have to wait for his moment, but the competition around him is real and the staff will keep looking for the right answers as camp unfolds. Perry-Wright and Gregory are part of the broader picture too, as Texas A&M tries to balance immediate depth with long-term upside. For a team that needs young talent to supplement the veterans, the next few weeks should clarify which freshmen are simply getting their feet wet and which ones are truly pushing for meaningful snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Kalen DeBoer Is Already Climbing Into Alabama's Biggest 2026 Debate
CBS Sports annual SEC coach rankings have already stirred up one of the leagues familiar offseason debates, with Georgias Kirby Smart opening at No. 1 and Texas Steve Sarkisian just behind him. Alabamas Kalen DeBoer landed third, which is notable for a coach still trying to fully settle in after taking over one of college footballs most scrutinized jobs. LSUs Lane Kiffin came in fourth, while Texas A&Ms Mike Elko checked in at fifth, keeping the Aggies in the middle of a conference that never runs out of big-name coaching conversations.
For Texas A&M, Elkos spot is a reminder of how crowded the SECs upper tier looks heading into 2026, especially with movement elsewhere on the board. Floridas new coach Jon Sumrall debuted at 10th, and South Carolinas Shane Beamer slid from eighth to 11th, showing how quickly perceptions can change from one year to the next. In that kind of climate, every ranking becomes a referendum of sorts, and for the Aggies it puts Elko right in the mix with the coaches who will define the conference race. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Suddenly Faces A 2027 RB Recruiting Problem
The 2027 running back board in Texas has already gotten a lot tighter for Texas A&M, and not in the direction the Aggies wanted. Five-star Laden Williams-Callis chose Texas, while A&M is still trying to build around a future backfield that already includes Jamarion Morrow, KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker. With that many names in the mix, the Aggies have had to keep pushing on other targets, including four-star Texas Tech commit SaRod Baker, just to make sure the position does not get away from them.
There is also a longer-term ripple effect to watch inside the class. Four-star Noah Roberts is already pledged to Texas A&M, but Williams-Callis's arrival on the recruiting scene has the potential to shape how comfortable other backs feel about the depth chart and their own path to touches. For a program that has been trying to stockpile talent, the challenge now is not just landing elite runners, but keeping the room balanced enough that everyone still sees a path forward. [Read more 🡒]