Texas A&M’s tight end room has a new face drawing attention early, and it’s Houston Thomas.
The College Station native arrived through the transfer portal and is already being talked about as one of the Aggies’ top receiving options. In the first two practices, Thomas has reportedly looked the part, working the seam with his size and sure hands. Texas A&M’s media team captured that on film this week.
Thomas brings a proven track record from UTSA, where he finished his final season with 34 receptions for 347 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also enters his last college season with the 5th most receiving yards from a tight end in career at 916.
That production matters for an A&M tight end group that looks very different heading into 2026. Senior Micah Riley is set to lead the room and is one of five team captains entering the new campaign. Redshirt freshman Kiotti Armstrong is also in the mix, along with transfer additions Thomas and Richie Anderson.
The turnover is significant after Nate Boerkircher, who was selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, led all A&M tight ends in receiving and touchdowns last season. His departure leaves a hole as both an inline blocker and a dependable pass catcher.
That puts pressure on Riley to handle the full-time starting role in most 11-personnel looks next season. But under new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins, the expectation is that Thomas and Anderson will be heavily used in pass sets, while Armstrong remains the outlier depending on how much he develops over the next three weeks.
Thomas also has a built-in connection to the program. A College Station native, he was not offered by A&M out of high school, but he does have a close relationship with third-year coach Mike Elko that goes back to his high school playing days.
With his large catch radius and experience as one of UTSA’s No. 1 receiving targets, Thomas appears positioned to become one of Marcel Reed’s top targets this fall. Similar to Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton, he’s showing early signs that he can be more than just a depth piece in the Aggies’ revamped offense.
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