Through five preseason practices, Texas A&M’s transfer haul has already started to sort itself out, and one of the clearest standouts has been former Northwestern edge Anto Saka. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defender has brought the kind of businesslike edge and NFL-looking traits that have made him the top newcomer to track, with only Tennessee cornerback Rickey Gibson drawing similar attention heading into the 2026 season opener against Missouri State.
Saka’s final season sack total at Northwestern has been framed too narrowly. What matters more is the pressure count, and his 30 pressures paint a much stronger picture of what he brings off the edge. His size, length and elite strength have already earned him a second appearance on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, and that kind of physical profile is exactly why he has stayed on the radar even without the flashy sack numbers.
For Saka, the assignment is straightforward: help Texas A&M replace the production left behind by Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season before leaving for the NFL, while also becoming one of the conference’s most dangerous pass rushers and most reliable run defenders.
On Tuesday, Saka and senior defensive tackle DJ Hicks both earned spots on the Lombardi Award Watch List. It was a fitting nod after what both players have shown over the last five practices. Hicks, who finished last season with 26 tackles and 3 sacks, is now up to a healthy 293 pounds and is aiming to fully tap into his athleticism alongside North Carolina transfer nose tackle CJ Mims.
Third-year coach Mike Elko and new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill need both players to deliver, with Hicks carrying particular importance. Interior pressure changes everything - it speeds up quarterbacks, shrinks the pocket and forces rushed decisions. That’s the job now for Hicks and Saka, and Texas A&M is counting on both to set the tone up front.
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Jamarion Morrow Could Give Texas A&M A Dangerous New Wrinkle
Jamarion Morrow spent his freshman season showing why Texas A&M was so intrigued by him in the first place. The sophomore running back gave the Aggies a glimpse of his versatility with 262 total yards and two touchdowns, and his value went beyond the traditional work of a tailback. He ran, he caught the ball and he added return ability, the kind of layered skill set that can make an offense harder to game-plan against when a player starts getting more touches.
Now the expectation is that Morrows role grows even more in 2026, which gives Mike Elkos offense another possible wrinkle to build around. A former four-star recruit who backed up the hype with a strong high school rsum, Morrow looks like one of the players who could help define what the Aggies want to be on that side of the ball. The open question is how much of that potential turns into a featured role once the offense starts leaning on him in more ways. [Read more 🡒]
Tiger Riden Is Giving Texas A&M's Backfield A New Edge
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A large part of that shift seems tied to redshirt freshman Tiger Riden Jr., whose powerful style has caught the eye of new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins as the Aggies try to add more edge to the ground game behind a mostly rebuilt offensive line. Ridens emergence gives the staff another option to stress defenses in a different way, and it could make the running back rotation a lot more interesting once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Anto Saka Gives Texas A&M A New Reason For D-Line Optimism
Anto Saka arrived at Texas A&M from Northwestern with the kind of reputation that usually travels best in the offseason, when weight-room numbers and raw traits matter almost as much as game tape. Now he has another endorsement to match it, landing at No. 31 on Bruce Feldmans annual college football freaks list after what has been described as a notable jump in power and explosiveness under Aggies strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt.
For Texas A&M, the timing matters. Saka is expected to be a key part of the defensive line as the Aggies work to replace their previous sack leader, and the buzz around his physical development only adds to the anticipation. If his growth in the weight room carries over on Saturdays, he could become one of the more important additions to a front that needs impact plays. [Read more 🡒]