Texas A&M’s linebacker room is getting a fresh look just in time for Saturday’s season opener against Missouri State, and the Aggies appear to have found a fast answer in Tulsa transfer Ray Coney.
With senior Daymion Sanford set to return after suffering a brutal fibula injury this offseason, Texas A&M is relieved his recovery moved far quicker than expected. Sanford’s presence matters because of everything he brings - versatility, leadership, and a big role in the middle of the defense - but the offseason departures of Taurean York and Scooby Williams left a clear opening that Coney has stepped into.
After 16 preseason practices, Coney is projected to start at middle linebacker, and the early feedback has been strong. During his lone season at Tulsa, he piled up more than 120 tackles and built a national reputation as one of the top run defenders thanks to his physical style. This fall, his sideline-to-sideline range has also stood out, drawing plenty of praise from defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill.
Mike Elko added even more confidence in Coney during Wednesday’s Aggie Football Hour, pointing to how quickly the transfer has settled in. “Ray Coney has been really, really good… he got here and it was a learning curve for him.”
“He did an unbelievable job of adapting. It really started to show up this summer in OTA's.”
That kind of progress is why Coney now looks like a major piece for Texas A&M heading into the opener. With junior Jordan Lockhart and sophomore Noah Mikhail also in the mix as depth at middle or will linebacker, the Aggies’ 2026 linebacker rotation suddenly has a chance to be a strength after the offseason uncertainty created by Sanford’s injury.
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