Texas A&M enters the 2026 season carrying real momentum, but the Aggies know that last year’s success only matters if it travels with them into the fall. Mike Elko has already added more talent through the transfer portal, and the roster is set up with enough pieces to make another push toward the College Football Playoff. Still, if the Aggies are going to separate themselves in the SEC, one player may have to take a major leap.
The obvious names are quarterback Marcel Reed and incoming edge rusher Anto Saka, but the most important rise might belong to wide receiver Mario Craver. He arrived in Aggieland before the 2025 season after transferring from Mississippi State and quickly became a dependable part of the offense. Craver finished as Texas A&M’s second-leading receiver with 59 catches for 917 yards and four touchdowns.
Now he’s back for year two, and the assignment is bigger. With KC Concepcion off to the NFL after leading the Aggies in receiving last season, Craver is the one expected to take over as the top target in the passing game. He already has a full season in the system, and that experience should put him in position to handle a much heavier load.
His role goes beyond production, too. Texas A&M will need him to help set the tone in a receiver room that includes Ashton Bethel-Roman, Terry Bussey and transfer Isaiah Horton. That group has the chance to be one of the best in the country, with Craver working primarily from the slot and Horton giving the Aggies another dangerous option on the outside.
“It’ll just give us the ability to spread everything out more,” Craver said in a spring availability on March 26. “We can have Isaiah out there at that X, as a one-on-one guy.
Anytime anyone wants to bracket me on the inside, we’ve got Ashton on the outside, Terry on the outside and also Isaiah. It’s just a great combination, us four.”
Craver already proved he can be a factor. The next step is becoming the kind of receiver Texas A&M can lean on when the game tightens and the SEC schedule starts asking hard questions. If the Aggies are going to stand among the conference’s best, they need Craver to become that go-to answer.
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 🡒]