Texas A&M’s secondary is drawing plenty of buzz heading into 2026, and Marcus Ratcliffe is right in the middle of it.
Pro Football Focus placed the Aggies safety at No. 9 among returning safeties, a nod to a season that showed just how dangerous he can be on the back end. Ratcliffe posted 66 tackles and three pass breakups last year, and PFF credited him with an 81.7 coverage grade.
The numbers only tell part of the story. He brings length, instincts and closing speed that make him look like one of the more athletic NFL prospects on the roster.
His production stood out even more before A&M’s road loss to Texas, when Ratcliffe had allowed just 17 passing yards across 336 coverage snaps.
He’s part of a safety group that gives Texas A&M real heft. Dalton Brooks is coming off a season that included four sacks and one of the Aggies’ three interceptions, while Colorado transfer Tawfiq Byard adds versatility. Put that together with veteran corners Dezz Ricks and Julio Humphrey, plus transfer cornerback Rickey Gibson, who already picked off his first unofficial interception in preseason practice, and the depth starts to look serious.
Mike Elko has already called the unit “SEC-level,” and the expectations around it match the talent. Texas A&M finished in the top 20 nationally in passing yards allowed last season in Elko’s first year as the primary defensive play caller, and now with Lyle Hemphill elevated to defensive coordinator, the mission is clear: cut down the explosive plays and create more takeaways after finishing with just three interceptions a year ago.
With that kind of coaching structure and NFL-level talent in the room, the Aggies’ secondary enters 2026 with a standard that’s higher than ever.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Has A Backup QB Battle Worth Watching
With Marcel Reed settled in as Texas A&Ms starting quarterback for 2026, the spotlight has shifted to a backup job that could matter more than it usually does in College Station. Redshirt freshman Brady Hart has the early edge in that competition, helped by his early enrollment, some game experience and the physical development that comes with another year in the program. It is the kind of quiet offseason battle that rarely gets the same attention as the starting job, but it can shape how a team handles the inevitable bumps over a long season.
Mike Elko has made clear, though, that nothing is locked in behind Reed. Hart is ahead for now, but he still has to keep improving to hold off the rest of the room, and that is what makes this one worth tracking as spring and summer move along. For an Aggies team with bigger goals in 2026, the difference between a steady No. 2 and an unsettled depth chart could end up meaning more than it looks like in March. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Thomas Is Already Showing Why Texas A&M Needed Him
Texas A&M went into the offseason looking for a tighter fit at tight end, and Houston Thomas arrived with that job description in mind. The transfer from UTSA was brought in to help the offense for the 2026 season, and early fall camp work has given the Aggies reason to think they may have found a more useful piece at the position than they had a year ago.
Thomas has already stood out in practices, flashing the kind of receiving ability Texas A&M was missing in its tight end group. He has been making notable catches against the defense, including one against safety Tawfiq Byard, and the early signs suggest the Aggies may have added a player who can change the conversation around that spot. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Added The Kind Of Scorer SEC Teams Fear
Texas A&M is bringing in the kind of proven perimeter scoring that can change how SEC defenses game-plan overnight. PJ Haggerty, one of the top 10 NCAA scorers in the 2025-26 season, is returning to college basketball for a fifth season, and his next stop is College Station after a winding path through TCU, Tulsa, Memphis and Kansas State.
Haggerty has been a high-volume scorer in recent seasons, and the Aggies are getting a veteran guard who has already shown he can carry an offense. He is not the only major scorer staying in school, either, with Juke Harris also opting out of the NBA Draft after two seasons at Wake Forest and choosing to continue his college career with Tennessee, a reminder that the top end of the transfer and draft markets is still very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]