Texas A&M’s 2025 campaign may have ended with a gut-punch loss to Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff, but don’t let that final result overshadow what was a major step forward for the program under head coach Mike Elko. In just his second year in charge, Elko guided the Aggies to an 11-2 record, including a 7-1 mark in SEC play - a clear signal that Texas A&M is back in the national spotlight and building something real in College Station.
And the NFL took notice. Thirteen Aggies received invites to the 2026 NFL Combine, a testament to the talent Elko assembled and developed. That kind of recognition doesn’t happen by accident - it’s the result of a veteran-laden roster that was built to win now.
At the center of it all was redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, who took the reins of the offense and showed flashes of what could be a special career. Reed had help - plenty of it. Transfer wideouts KC Concepcion and Mario Craver gave him dynamic options on the outside, while senior edge rusher Cashius Howell, a unanimous All-American, anchored a defense that had its moments of dominance.
But as the season wore on, cracks started to show. The run defense faltered down the stretch, and the offense struggled to find balance after running back Le’Veon Moss went down with an injury. Without a consistent ground game to lean on, the Aggies became more one-dimensional - and against elite competition, that lack of versatility proved costly.
Still, the foundation is strong. While some may look at the 2025 roster and wonder if its full potential was ever realized, the pieces are in place for another run.
Reed, now entering his redshirt junior season, has areas to clean up - particularly when it comes to decision-making under pressure and threading the needle against top-tier SEC defenses. But the tools are there.
He’s got the arm, the mobility, and now another offseason under his belt.
And he won’t be doing it alone. Texas A&M hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in 17 new faces, including Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Horton and Northwestern edge rusher Anto Saka.
Those additions should help fill the gaps left by departing talent, though perhaps the biggest question mark lies up front. The Aggies will be breaking in four new starters on the offensive line - a challenge in any conference, but especially in the SEC, where the trenches often decide the outcome.
That said, expectations are high - and deservedly so. Most preseason rankings have the Aggies hovering around the top 10, with some slotting them in as high as No.
- Pro Football Focus is slightly more conservative, placing Texas A&M at No. 12 in its “Way-too-early” Top 25 for 2026, but the message is the same: this team is built to contend.
PFF highlighted the chemistry between Reed and Craver, who connected for over 900 yards and four touchdowns last season. Craver, now a junior, is already being talked about as one of the best receivers in the country. That’s a scary proposition for opposing defenses, especially if Reed takes the next step in his development.
Consistency is the name of the game. Reed showed both brilliance and growing pains in 2025 - and for the Aggies to make another playoff push, they’ll need the former to outweigh the latter. That means cleaner reads, better ball placement in tight windows, and smarter decisions when the run game isn’t clicking.
There’s no doubt the Aggies have the talent to be back in the CFP conversation. Now it’s about execution - and whether Reed, the new-look offensive line, and a retooled defense can rise to the moment. If they do, 2026 could be the season Texas A&M turns the corner from contender to championship threat.