Texas A&M opened the 2026 season with a lopsided win, and the first stock report of the year already offered a few clear winners - plus a reminder that the offensive line still has some proving to do.
The biggest early boost went to Noah Mikhail. With Daymion Sanford held out after a troubling spring injury, the Aggies gave Mikhail extra run at linebacker, and he made the most of it.
He led Texas A&M with seven tackles and looked sharp working next to transfer linebacker Ray Coney. Sanford remains the starter when he returns, but Mikhail did more than just fill space.
He strengthened his case for real rotation snaps and should stay in the mix as the season rolls on.
Texas A&M also got encouraging signs in the backfield from a pair of freshmen. Rueben Owens and Jamarion Morrow are still the top options, but Carsyn Baker and KJ Edwards both flashed enough to make the depth chart feel a lot sturdier than it did coming in.
Baker ran for 52 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, while Edwards added 44 yards on five attempts. Their averages told the story too: 7.4 yards per carry for Baker and 8.8 for Edwards.
If they keep that up, one of them could carve out more of a role sooner rather than later.
The Aggies’ offense finished with 50 points and more than 500 yards, but that number hides how uneven the start was. The new-look offensive line had a rough first half, with a few costly assignment issues and two sacks allowed by the Bears. Texas A&M managed just 3.5 yards per rush before halftime and never found a clean rhythm early.
Things turned around after the break. The Aggies ran for 160 yards in the second half, averaged 6.4 yards per carry, and didn’t give up another sack. That improvement mattered, but the slow start is the kind of thing that can become a problem once the competition gets tougher.
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For Texas A&M, it is one of those what-if recruiting stories that lingers because the Aggies were in the picture before Ohio State got involved at the right time. Smith-Njigbas rise only sharpens the regret, since the search for elite receivers has long been a major part of the programs recruiting conversations, and his path shows how thin the margin can be when the right player, the right visit and the right offer do not line up together. [Read more 🡒]
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Mike Elko Is Already Building Texas A&Ms Next Tight End Pipeline
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One of the newest names is Gregory Kirwan, a 2028 four-star tight end from Tennessee who recently landed a scholarship offer from the Aggies. Kirwan brings the kind of traits that usually travel well in recruiting circles, including size, athleticism and a reputation as a strong blocker, and he also doubles as a basketball player. Rivals currently lists him as the 20th tight end prospect in Tennessee, which gives Texas A&M another early piece to track as it keeps building out its pipeline. [Read more 🡒]