Texas A&M will head to SEC Media Days in Tampa with Mike Elko and three player representatives, and the Aggies have a pretty clear case for who should make the trip.
The league’s annual event begins July 20, with all 16 SEC head coaches and three unannounced players from each school set to take part. Texas A&M’s turn comes Wednesday, July 22, when Elko and three starters will meet the media just weeks before the 2026 season. The player list has not been announced yet, but the strongest candidates are easy to spot.
Marcel Reed should be the first name on it. The redshirt junior quarterback is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, tying for the second-most picks in the SEC.
He made real progress, but the turnover issue still hung over Texas A&M, especially in back-to-back losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the CFP. This offseason, Reed has reportedly added healthy weight, worked with private QB coach Jeff Christensen, and focused on improving his accuracy, touch and decision-making.
If those changes stick, the Tennessee native should be in line to match his 2025 production while becoming steadier down the stretch.
Mario Craver is the next obvious choice. The former Mississippi State transfer finished second on the team with 59 catches for 917 yards and four touchdowns, while averaging 15.5 yards per reception.
He’s positioned to be Reed’s top target this fall, and his speed, quickness and route running make him one of the more dangerous receivers in the country. At 5-foot-9, Craver still finds ways to create separation, and the addition of Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton should only help him work the slot and stay available as a reliable option on any down.
The third spot should go to DJ Hicks. The senior defensive tackle was once the No. 3-ranked recruit in the 2023 cycle, and while he still hasn’t fully reached that level, last season showed some forward movement.
He posted a career-high 26 tackles and three sacks in his second full starting season. With Albert Regis and Tyler Onyedim gone after being selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Hicks now moves to the top of the line and has a chance to anchor a revamped front.
Paired with transfer edge Anto Saka, he’s been identified as one of two players “primed for huge seasons,” and a Texas A&M source said he isn’t getting “much preseason love” but is on pace to dominate the league after gaining extensive experience.
One player who probably won’t be making the trip is Daymion Sanford. The senior linebacker suffered a lower-body injury during the Maroon & White Game, and while the Katy, Texas native is viewed as the best defensive player on the roster, he’s expected to miss the first half of the regular season.
In Other News...
Mike Elko May Have Found Texas A&Ms Next Impact Pass Rusher
Anto Saka arrives in College Station with the kind of profile Texas A&M has been chasing under Mike Elko: a transfer edge rusher whose best football may still be ahead of him. After three seasons at Northwestern, Saka did enough to get noticed, and the Aggies are betting that a change of scenery and a more aggressive defensive setting can help turn his pressure into consistent disruption off the edge.
The early expectation is that Saka will step right into a starting role at defensive end, giving A&M another piece to pair with its pass-rush plan. NFL scouts are already paying attention, too, which adds another layer to why this move matters for the Aggies. If Saka can convert the flashes that have drawn that interest into a bigger season in Elkos system, he could become one of the more important additions on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
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Allens junior season gave evaluators plenty to work with, and his profile fits the kind of defender Texas A&M has been chasing as it builds out the future of its front seven. The early expectation is that he can develop into a player who competes for a starting job in his second season, which is exactly the sort of long-view payoff that makes these recruiting wins matter well beyond signing day. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Already Has Major 2028 Recruiting Momentum To Protect
Texas A&Ms 2027 class already sits at the top of the national board, but the bigger long-term story in College Station is how quickly the staff is trying to turn that success into a head start on 2028. Under Mike Elko, the Aggies have made recruiting momentum part of the programs identity, and early interest from a handful of high-end prospects suggests the next cycle could get moving fast if A&M keeps stacking relationships now.
The early board includes a quarterback the staff likes, along with an edge defender and an offensive tackle who fit the kind of talent profile Texas A&M has been chasing. Even with competition from other schools, the Aggies are in position to stay relevant with all three, which is the point of getting ahead this early: build trust now, and hope the class starts to take shape before the rest of the country fully catches up. [Read more 🡒]