While a lot of the SEC conversation this offseason has centered on the money being spent in Baton Rouge and Austin, Texas A&M has been building something a little quieter - and maybe a little more complete.
The Aggies are listed at an estimated $33 million in roster spending, which puts them behind Texas at close to $50 million and LSU at a bit over $40 million. That gap in headline-grabbing dollars has helped Texas A&M fly under the radar, but Mike Elko’s team looks like one of the deepest rosters in the league heading into the season.
The clearest strength is on offense, where the skill spots are loaded. At quarterback, Marcel Reed is in place with Brady Hart developing behind him.
The backfield has Rueben Owens leading the way, while sophomore Jamarion Morrow is moving up fast. At receiver, Mario Craver gives the group another big piece, Isaiah Horton arrives from Miami as a dynamic outside target, and Terry Bussey is growing into a versatile weapon who can be used in a variety of ways, whether that means running routes or lining up out of the backfield.
That wideout room might be the best position group on the roster.
Up front, there’s been some turnover on both sides, but Texas A&M still has SEC-level anchors in the middle. Defensive tackle DJ Hicks is one of those key pieces, and center Mark Nabou Jr. gives the offense a stabilizing force. The newcomers - whether freshmen or transfers - are said to be meeting the program’s high standards in the NIL era, which matters for a team trying to keep the whole machine humming.
That’s why there’s confidence that the Wrecking Crew and the Maroon Goons should be in good shape once those groups fully settle in together.
The biggest questions sit in the secondary and at linebacker, but even there, the Aggies have SEC-caliber athletes. And the biggest reason this roster can work is the staff. Elko already took a team with 72% returning production last year and turned it into a CFP team.
Now comes the next step. In 2026, there are obvious boxes to check, starting with a defense that finished No. 113 in total turnovers and managed only three interceptions.
Texas A&M also has to show more in the biggest moments. The Lone Star Showdown and the CFP have both exposed the Aggies shrinking when the pressure rises, and that has to change.
How exactly that happens is less clear. But the pieces are there, and so is the coaching.
For now, Texas A&M looks like a roster that is built well, coached well, and sitting just out of the spotlight in the SEC.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Still Has A Chance To Flip A Crucial In-State RB
Texas A&Ms running back recruiting board for the 2027 class already has a familiar name on it in SaRod Baker, the current Texas Tech commit the Aggies are still working to pry loose. The pursuit fits the way this staff has approached in-state talent before, and it also brings back memories of previous recruiting battles in which Trooper Taylor helped push a flip across the finish line.
Baker remains pledged to Texas Tech, so this is far from a simple courtship and the Red Raiders have every reason to keep holding firm. Still, the Aggies have stayed in the mix, and with a prospect of this caliber in Texas, it is the kind of long game Texas A&M cannot afford to ignore if it wants to keep stacking the states best backs. [Read more 🡒]
Marcel Reed Is Making Texas A&Ms QB Outlook A Lot Harder To Ignore
Marcel Reed has spent fall camp giving Texas A&M a much different kind of quarterback conversation than the one that followed him around earlier in his career. The athleticism was never in question, but what has stood out lately is the way hes handling the offense, making cleaner decisions and showing a sharper feel for where the ball needs to go. For a program trying to settle its quarterback outlook, that kind of development matters.
The optimism is real enough that some of the national skepticism around Reed may be getting ahead of itself. Still, camp is one thing and Saturdays are another, and Reeds next step is proving that the growth in command and accuracy carries over when the games count. Until then, Texas A&M has reason to believe the position is looking less like a question and more like a storyline worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Former LSU QB Max Johnson Adds Another Twist To His Journey
Max Johnsons college journey has taken him through some of the sports biggest stages, and now the veteran quarterback is headed into another fresh start. Georgia Southern has tabbed Johnson as its starter, setting him up for a debut against Charleston Southern before a much stiffer test against Clemson, another step in a winding career that has already included starting roles at LSU, Texas A&M and North Carolina.
For Aggies fans who remember his stop in College Station, Johnsons next chapter is another reminder of how much mileage he has put on a college arm. He brings more than six years of experience and a career line of 6,356 passing yards with 49 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but the real intrigue now is how quickly he settles into his new home with a demanding early schedule waiting right away. [Read more 🡒]