Texas A&M’s playoff hopes took a gut punch Friday night, and it came from the one team that stings the most: the Texas Longhorns. Not only did the Aggies drop their first game of the season, but the loss also shut the door on a trip to the SEC Championship. For a program that’s been riding a wave of momentum on the field, this one cuts a little deeper.
But while the Aggies regroup from that rivalry loss, the broader SEC landscape is shifting fast-especially with coaching changes already shaking up recruiting boards. Auburn made a major move by parting ways with Hugh Freeze after a rocky start to the 2025 campaign.
Freeze, for all the on-field struggles, had built a reputation as a strong recruiter. One of his biggest wins on the trail was five-star safety Bralan Womack, a top-tier talent in the 2026 class.
Now, with Freeze out, Womack has reopened his recruitment-and he’s made his call. It came down to two programs wearing Maroon and White, but in the end, Womack chose Mississippi State over Texas A&M.
That’s a significant win for the Bulldogs and a notable miss for the Aggies. Womack, a 6-foot, 195-pound safety out of Hartfield Academy in Flowood, Mississippi, brings serious playmaking chops.
Over four high school seasons, he racked up 16 interceptions-numbers that back up the film. He’s not just a center fielder who waits for mistakes; he’s a versatile defender who can match up in man coverage and make plays all over the field.
“He’s a versatile safety prospect with impressive man-coverage skills,” wrote Andrew Ivins, 247Sports’ director of scouting. “He has a chance to emerge as a trusted playmaker on the backend of any defense given how he sees the field. Projects as a potential impact defender for a College Football Playoff hopeful that can morph into a matchup specialist on passing downs.”
That kind of talent would’ve been a strong addition to an already stacked Texas A&M 2026 recruiting class-particularly in the secondary. But even with Womack heading elsewhere, the Aggies’ defensive back haul is still one of the best in the country.
Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington headlines the group, and he’s surrounded by a deep cast of four-star standouts: Camren Hamilton and Victor Singleton at corner, Tylan Wilson and Chance Collins at safety. It’s a group built not just on star power, but on balance-players who can cover, tackle, and compete from Day 1.
And that’s before you even factor in the veterans already on A&M’s roster. Any newcomer stepping into that defensive back room is going to have to earn their spot-iron sharpens iron, and this group is loaded with it.
Still, the recruiting cycle isn’t over just yet. Early National Signing Day is right around the corner on Wednesday, and that’s when things get real.
BREAKING: Elite 2026 Safety Bralan Womack has Flipped his Commitment from Auburn to Mississippi State, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The No. 2 Safety in the ’26 Class had been Committed to the Tigers since August⁰⁰“Home is home!🐶”⁰⁰https://t.co/SMLTMOyR9i pic.twitter.com/Cyk5OSuFWT
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 1, 2025
Until recruits sign, nothing’s set in stone. Schools can still flip commitments, and Texas A&M is both a target and a hunter in that game.
Once the letters are signed, the class is locked in.
As it stands now, the Aggies hold the No. 9 recruiting class in the nation, per 247Sports. That’s a strong position, especially considering the competition in the SEC. Losing Womack stings, no doubt-but the foundation is solid, and the opportunity to finish strong is still very much on the table.