Texas A&M’s rise under Mike Elko has now earned him a place near the top of the SEC conversation.
Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan slotted Elko at No. 5 in his latest SEC head coach rankings, putting the Aggies coach behind only Kirby Smart of Georgia, Kalen DeBoer of Alabama, Steve Sarkisian of Texas and Lane Kiffin of LSU. For a coach entering his third season in College Station, it’s another sign that Elko’s profile has climbed well beyond the conference.
That reputation has been building for a while. Before he took over in late November 2023, Elko had already made his name as one of the sport’s best defensive minds.
He spent 2018 through 2021 as Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator and helped recruit several of the program’s top defensive players who later became NFL standouts. After two seasons leading Duke, the New Jersey native got his chance to run the Aggies.
This summer, Elko has shown up as high as No. 11 nationally and No. 4 in the SEC in various rankings. The buzz around him isn’t just about game-day coaching, either. He’s also being recognized as one of the country’s elite recruiters, and Texas A&M’s No. 1-ranked 2027 cycle has only strengthened that case.
The on-field results have backed it up. In Elko’s first season, the Aggies raced out to a 7-1 start before star running back Le’Veon Moss was lost for the year in a road loss to South Carolina.
Texas A&M then finished 1-4, including a bowl loss to USC. But the emergence of quarterback Marcel Reed, along with offseason additions at receiver in KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, changed the look of the offense.
That shift helped Texas A&M take another step in 2025. The Aggies opened 11-0 for the first time since 1993, with Reed posting career highs of 3,169 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Craver and Concepcion combined for nearly 1,900 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, while senior edge Cashius Howell also broke out.
The season still ended on a sour note, with losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the CFP. That led to immediate changes this offseason, including several coaching staff moves and 17 transfer portal additions, coming after a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even with that finish, Texas A&M is back on track to reach the College Football Playoff this fall, and Elko’s standing in the SEC keeps rising right along with it.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Just Got A Preseason SEC Slot Fans Will Hate
Texas A&Ms offseason work has been hard to miss, with a transfer haul that landed among the nations best and brought in proven scoring help alongside the return of key pieces from last seasons roster. The Aggies added PJ Haggerty, Jalen Shelley and Tyshawn Archie through the portal, while also keeping Zach Clemence and Mackenzie Mgbako in the fold as they try to build a deeper, more balanced group for the 2026-27 grind.
Still, CBS Sports college hoops insider Jon Rothstein is not buying the hype just yet, slotting the Aggies ninth in his preseason SEC power rankings. That kind of placement will sit awkwardly with a fan base that sees a roster with more firepower than that, especially with Texas also sitting much higher in the league pecking order and a demanding SEC schedule waiting to test whether A&Ms new-look lineup can turn paper promise into wins. [Read more 🡒]
These Five Aggies Will Decide If 2026 Lives Up To The Hype
Texas A&M heads into its third season under Mike Elko with the kind of buzz that only comes when a roster looks ready to turn promise into something bigger. The 2026 conversation starts with quarterback Marcel Reed, but it does not stop there. The Aggies have to replace production and absorb the ripple effects of departures and injuries, which is why the spotlight keeps landing on a handful of players who can shape how far this team goes.
Anto Saka, Rueben Owens II, Mario Craver and Dezz Ricks are all being asked to help define the next step, whether that means steadying the pass rush, giving the offense a new lead back, finding a go-to target at receiver or tightening things up in the secondary. For a team carrying real expectations into 2026, the difference between a good season and one that matches the hype may come down to how quickly those roles settle and whether the Aggies get the answers they need from the players closest to the center of it all. [Read more 🡒]
Aggies Just Got A Hopeful Sign On Daymion Sanford
Daymion Sanfords spring game knee injury has lingered as one of the quieter concerns around Texas A&M, mostly because the program has kept the details close to the vest. Sanford is not just another linebacker on the roster, either. Hes a captain and one of the more important voices on that defense, so any hint that his recovery is moving in the right direction naturally gets attention from Aggies fans looking for good news.
The optimism has started to show up in public, too, with the football account and Sanfords family both sending upbeat signals in recent days. Nothing official has changed on the injury front, but the tone around Sanford has shifted enough to make people wonder whether his return could come sooner than first feared. For a defense that wants every bit of depth it can get, even a hopeful sign like this matters. [Read more 🡒]