Texas A&M has plenty of pieces in place heading toward the new season, but Mike Elko still has some sorting to do with fall camp about a month away. The Aggies have several skill spots that already look settled, yet the real pressure points may come in the trenches and in the secondary, where competition is still wide open.
Cornerback is one of the most fascinating spots on the roster. Dezz Ricks is back and looks like a steady starter, with the kind of athletic profile that could put him in all-American territory and even make him a first-rounder if everything breaks right. The question is who lines up on the other side.
Georgia transfer Julio Humphrey enters his second year in College Station after playing less in 2025 than he did for the Bulldogs the year before, and his SEC starting experience makes him an obvious contender. But he’s not alone.
Tennessee transfer Rickey Gibson is in his final season of eligibility and brings serious talent of his own, though Humphrey may have the edge because he has more time in the program and Gibson missed spring work. Then there’s true freshman Brandon Arrington, who got a long look with Ricks and Gibson sidelined in the spring and turned heads in the spring game.
He was expected to need time, but he may already be ahead of schedule.
Tight end is another spot that needs answers fast. With second-round pick Nate Boerkircher gone and Theo Mehlin Ohrstrom also out via the portal, Texas A&M has a real opening to fill. Team captain Micah Riley should be part of the plan, but he’s been more of a blocker than a pass-catching threat, so the Aggies need someone else to take on that role.
The transfer options are Richie Anderson from Fresno State and Houston Thomas from UTSA. Redshirt freshman Kiotti Armstrong is also in the mix after an uneven spring game, though that one outing is far too small a sample to define him.
True freshmen KK Johnson and Evan Jacobsen could get involved too, but the expectation is that both will redshirt. However it shakes out, the second tight end spot matters.
Offensive tackle is another major puzzle after both starters moved on to the NFL. Texas A&M attacked the portal to patch the hole, and there are several names in the conversation.
Robert Bourdon is the incumbent after serving as the top backup last season, while Wilkin Formby and Tyree Adams arrive with starting experience from Alabama and LSU. Formby has drawn plenty of buzz since spring.
Younger options are waiting as well, including Blake Ivy, Tyler Thomas and Lamont Rogers. Rogers, a former five-star, is the one many Aggie fans are eager to see develop into a starter. Still, the first wave of competition likely comes from Bourdon, Formby and Adams, and Adam Cushing is open to rotating early before the depth chart settles.
At offensive guard, Mark Nabou is the one sure thing. He’s the lone returner from last year and can play guard or center, which gives Texas A&M a reliable anchor inside. The other two interior spots are still up for grabs.
South Carolina transfer Trovon Baugh and LSU transfer Coen Echols are both in the mix, though each had stretches of struggle last season. Their SEC experience helps, but it doesn’t lock anything in.
Ashton Funk could also force his way into the picture in his third year with the Aggies, and his future appears to be on the interior even though he can work inside or outside. Redshirt freshmen Marcus Garcia and Nelson McGuire are also names to watch.
If you’re making a guess, Funk and Baugh look like the most likely pairing, with Echols still having a shot.
Defensive tackle brings its own set of questions after Tyler Onyedim and Albert Regis departed. DJ Hicks is the obvious headliner, and the former five-star has earned the first-round buzz he’s getting this offseason. Around him, Texas A&M has depth from both recruiting and the portal.
The transfer group includes CJ Mims from UNC, Brandon Davis-Swain from Colorado and Angelo McCullom from Illinois. Mims looks like the safest bet to start next to Hicks, especially with his final season of eligibility giving him added urgency.
But the Aggies also have a promising second-year group in Landon Rink, DJ Sanders and Chace Sims. Rink played the most of that trio last season, Sanders is loaded with talent but still raw, and Sims was injured.
All three should matter at some point. The only real question is whether that happens right away.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Defensive Setback Just Put Serious Pressure On Elko's Linebackers
Texas A&Ms defense was already going to look different under third-year coach Mike Elko, who still handles the primary playcalling even after promoting Lyle Hemphill to defensive coordinator. The Aggies also brought in 17 transfer portal additions, including several defensive pieces, as they tried to deepen a unit that has become one of the programs biggest priorities.
Now the linebacker room has taken a hit with senior Daymion Sanford expected to be sidelined for the first half of the 2026 season, forcing the Aggies to lean harder on younger options. Sophomore Noah Mikhail and Ray Coney are projected to step into starting roles in Sanfords absence, with Jordan Lockhart and possibly transfer TJ Smith providing depth behind them as Texas A&M tries to keep the middle of its defense stable. [Read more 🡒]
Bucky Ball Just Delivered Another Huge Proof Of Concept
Texas A&Ms rise under Bucky McMillan has already moved beyond promise and into proof, with last seasons NCAA Tournament appearance giving the program a more tangible edge than it had before. The Aggies have spent the past year showing that the system is not just about style or energy, but about development, and that matters in a sport where players and their families want a clear path from college production to the next level.
Rylan Griffen is the latest example of that pitch resonating. After a strong collegiate season built on efficient scoring, active defense and reliable perimeter shooting, he has put himself in position for a professional opportunity, the kind of next step McMillans staff can point to when selling what Texas A&M is becoming. For a program still trying to establish itself under a relatively new identity, those kinds of outcomes carry real weight, both on the floor and in the recruiting battles ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M May Be Closing In On Another Priority Defender
Texas A&Ms 2027 class already has some star power, with five-star additions Eric McFarland at receiver and Kaden Henderson at linebacker giving the group an early jolt. The bigger long-term question, though, is how the Aggies keep building out the defense, especially at linebacker, where expected departures are creating a real opening for the next wave of recruits to push for roles.
That is why the Aggies have stayed active on another priority target at the position, even after losing a cornerback commitment to another school. The staff still views the linebacker board as a key part of the class, and this pursuit has taken on extra weight as Texas A&M tries to protect its momentum and avoid letting another major defensive target slip away. [Read more 🡒]