Texas A&M spent the offseason loading up on talent from the high school ranks and the transfer portal, and the result is a roster that looks ready to reload instead of rebuild. Even with Mike Elko and his staff having to replace a lot of draft departures, the Aggies still enter the season with a wave of newcomers who could make an immediate impact.
Saturday’s opener against Missouri State should offer the first real look at which fresh faces are ready to take off. The Bears may be a lower-level opponent, but there is still plenty to learn from how Texas A&M’s new additions handle the stage. Three names stand out most: Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton, safety Tawfiq Byard, and freshman running back KJ Edwards.
Horton has been one of the loudest buzz names of the offseason, and the hype makes sense. He gives Texas A&M a kind of receiver presence it has not had in a long time. His size alone changes the conversation at the position, and the Aggies have not had that sort of towering threat on the roster since before Mike Elko arrived.
There have been tall Aggie receivers before, including Kendrick Rogers, but Horton brings a more physical style. That should matter in this matchup.
Missouri State has only one listed corner with similar size, Gionni McBride, no. 23, who stands 6’3” but is only a true sophomore. That leaves Horton with a clear edge in the one-on-one battles, whether he is stacking defenders vertically or climbing for jump balls.
Byard is another newcomer who could announce himself in a big way. He already turned heads in the spring game, where his physicality stood out in the first half before Daymion Sanford’s injury became the bigger storyline. Even without a starting job locked down, he has become one of the players Aggie fans are most eager to watch.
This matchup should suit him well. Missouri State is expected to try to stretch Texas A&M sideline to sideline and use those wide alignments to open running lanes, which puts a premium on safety help.
That is where Byard fits in. He is a reliable tackler, and he is not shy about delivering contact, so there should be plenty of chances for him to make his presence felt.
Then there is Edwards, the five-star tailback from Carthage who arrived with plenty of attention and has reportedly backed it up in fall camp. Texas A&M leaned on a three-man rotation at running back in most of its biggest games last season, and true freshman Jamarion Morrow earned his way into the mix before settling in as the no. 2 back behind Rueben Owens. Edwards now looks ready to carve out his own role.
He is listed as a shorter back, but his speed and physicality make him a dangerous package. The Aggies expect him to be part of the rotation all season, and this opener should give fans an early taste of what he can do. Against Missouri State, Edwards has a chance to put his talent on display right away.
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The early read is encouraging because the Aggies are not starting from scratch on either side of the ball. They have experience returning on defense as well, and with kickoff dates and some TV windows already attached to the slate, there is at least a clearer sense of when the real tests will start to stack up and what kind of response this group will need to show once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]