Texas A&M’s linebacker room is drawing strong reviews early in camp, and new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill didn’t hold back when talking about transfer addition Ray Coney.
On Tuesday, Hemphill said senior Daymion Sanford is “close to 100%” after the fibula injury he suffered during the Maroon & White Game, a welcome update for a unit that has been reshaped this offseason.
The Aggies added 17 players through the transfer portal before a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Coney has quickly emerged as one of the most important newcomers. The former Tulsa linebacker arrives after posting 128 tackles with the Hurricanes last season and comes with a reputation as one of the nation’s better run defenders. Texas A&M lists him at 6'2" and 240 pounds.
Hemphill, who worked as a defensive assistant for the Aggies last season, had plenty of praise for the group as a whole and labeled the linebacker rotation “Improved” while zeroing in on Coney’s fit.
"He's everything I thought he'd be. He's 6-1, 240-plus.
He's loose and athletic. He's a thumper.
You can see why he had the tackles he had."
"Now that he's been here for a minute, he's starting to figure it out. He's going to be a hell of a player."
Coney is expected to line up alongside sophomore Noah Mikhail and Sanford in a linebacker group that is beginning to look like a strength for Texas A&M. With three-year starter Taurean York now in the NFL, the Aggies will be counting on Coney, Sanford and Mikhail to help make that unit a steady force in 2026.
In Other News...
Texas A&M's Texas Tech Decision Says Plenty About SEC Scheduling
Texas A&M has made its scheduling priorities pretty clear by passing on Texas Techs offer to set up a non-conference game in the foreseeable future. Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said the Red Raiders have reached out to multiple schools about matchups in 2027 and beyond, and so far the answers have not been encouraging. For the Aggies, the decision fits the broader way SEC teams have been managing their calendars, with outside games carefully chosen around the demands of league play and the need to protect long-term scheduling plans.
Texas A&M already has home-and-home series lined up against Arizona State and Louisville over the next four seasons, which underscores how selective these openings can be. For fans hoping to see old regional ties revived, the Texas Tech pitch would have carried real appeal, but the Aggies refusal suggests they are not eager to add another commitment unless it fits exactly what they want. In the meantime, Tech keeps searching for a partner, and the lack of traction says as much about the current scheduling climate as it does about any one matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M May Have Finally Fixed One Passing Game Problem
Texas A&M spent a good chunk of last season looking for a little more variety in its passing game, and now it appears the Aggies may have added a piece that changes the shape of the room. A transfer receiver is on the way who brings the kind of size this offense has not consistently had, giving the unit a different look to pair with Mario Craver and KC Concepcion.
The addition matters because the new arrival is not just another target, but a player who produced in bigger spots last season and showed he could hold up against major competition. For an Aggies passing attack trying to become more balanced and harder to defend, that mix of size and production could be exactly what it needed. [Read more 🡒]