Texas A&M landed four players on the 2026 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team, with receiver Mario Craver standing out as the only Aggie honored twice.
Craver made the First Team both as a receiver and as an all-purpose player, putting him in rare company across the conference. He was one of five players in the SEC to earn recognition in two different roles, joining Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell, Isaiah Sategna III, Ole Miss’ Lucas Carneiro, and Texas’s Ryan Niblett.
The other Texas A&M selections were center Mark Nabou Jr. on the Second Team, defensive tackle DJ Hicks on the Third Team, and Terry Bussey on the Third Team as a kickoff specialist.
For the Aggies, Nabou’s spot carries real weight. He’s projected to be the steadying force on a rebuilt offensive line, and with four starters gone, his return in the middle gives Texas A&M something it badly needs: continuity. His pre-snap connection with Marcel Reed remains a key piece of that setup.
Hicks enters the season as a name to watch on the defensive front. He’s viewed as a possible breakout piece against the run, but there’s more upside if he turns his athleticism into better pass-rushing production. He works as a three-technique, but he also can slide into different roles for Mike Elko and Elijah Robinson, including work at nose tackle.
Bussey’s value continues to stretch beyond special teams. He’s expected to have a bigger offensive role this year, with the ability to be used in gadget packages.
The added size he’s put on this offseason should help him when he’s matched up in the slot against nickels and linebackers. Even so, the return game still looks like his clearest strength.
Craver, though, is the player who seems most central to what Texas A&M wants to do. With K.C.
Concepcion gone, the Aggies are leaning on newcomers like Miami transfer Isaiah Horton and true freshman Aaron Gregory, who has been making noise in fall camp, to settle in quickly. There’s also optimism around what that group can become alongside Bussey.
Still, the experienced production belongs mostly to Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman, who had 503 touchdowns and five touchdowns on just 24 catches last year. Among the returning receivers working with Marcel Reed, Craver is the clear headliner, with more than twice as many catches as the next returning player.
That puts the spotlight squarely on him. If Texas A&M hits a rough patch moving the ball, Craver could also be asked to help flip field position in the return game. For the Aggies, this looks like the year he’s expected to do more than just contribute - he’s being counted on to help carry the offense.
In Other News...
Texas A&M's Reload Is Starting To Look Very Real
Texas A&M spent the spring and summer trying to turn what could have been a massive reset into something closer to a reload. After losing 15 starters from the 2025 team, including 10 players who were drafted into the NFL, the Aggies leaned into continuity where they could, keeping quarterback Marcel Reed in place and promoting Holman Wiggins to offensive coordinator. Around those anchors, the staff went to work rebuilding both lines of scrimmage and the overall depth chart with a mix of transfers and commitments aimed at filling obvious holes left behind by departing veterans.
The early returns suggest the Aggies were aggressive for a reason, because several of those additions are already being viewed as players who can matter in the SEC. For a team that had to replace so much production at once, the challenge was never just about adding bodies, it was about finding the right ones fast enough to keep the roster from taking a step back. Texas A&M appears to have given itself a real chance to avoid that slide, even if the full test still lies ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has A Freshman Making The WR Rotation Tougher
Texas A&M spent the offseason reshaping its receiver room after losing talent to the NFL, and the transfer additions were expected to carry much of the load. But freshman Aaron Gregory has made enough noise in spring and fall camps to make the rotation look a little less settled than it did a few months ago, with the highly regarded recruit earning attention from coaches as a player who can already push for snaps.
Offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins has been especially encouraged by Gregorys ability to separate from defenders, a trait that can fast-track a young receiver into the mix. The Aggies still have experienced options and newcomers like Isaiah Horton competing for roles, but Gregorys path to playing time appears real, particularly on the outside, where Texas A&M could use another playmaker to complement its rebuilt group. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Added A New Secondary Question For Mike Elko
Texas A&Ms secondary just got a little more interesting with the addition of Loia Valade, a versatile athlete from Boca Raton, Florida, who has reclassified to join the Aggies for the 2026 season. Valade had been a 2027 recruit before making the move, and he picked Texas A&M over other finalists as Mike Elko and defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill continue building out the defense.
The timing matters because this is already an experienced secondary, and Valades arrival gives the Aggies another piece to sort through in that room. Whether he settles in quickly or forces the staff to rethink how it wants to deploy its defensive backs, Texas A&M now has a new name to factor into one of the more competitive parts of the roster. [Read more 🡒]