Texas A&M is building something under Mike Elko - and they’re not shy about letting you know it. With three projected first-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft and a legacy that includes Von Miller’s Super Bowl 50 MVP performance, the Aggies are leaning hard into the narrative that College Station is a pipeline to the pros.
But then Trevor Knight lit the match.
On February 5, Knight - a former A&M quarterback - retweeted a graphic from Texas Football Life that listed Texas-based colleges that have produced Super Bowl MVPs. The list included Texas Tech, TCU, and two Texas A&M system schools.
Notably missing? The University of Texas.
Knight didn’t hold back, writing:
**“You don’t go to Texas university if you want to succeed in the NFL… you go to A&M.”
**
That’s when things got loud.
Matt Galatzan, a Texas reporter, quickly fired back with the numbers - and they weren’t kind to the Aggies. As of now, 47 former Longhorns are active in the NFL, compared to 34 Aggies. That’s a 13-player gap, which translates to nearly 40% more Texas players cashing NFL checks on Sundays.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Texas had 33 players in this year’s NFL playoffs. That’s more than the total number of A&M players currently in the league.
And when it comes to the Super Bowl? Four Longhorns will suit up.
Zero Aggies made it to the big game.
Knight’s tweet was meant to be a jab. Instead, it turned into a reminder of where things currently stand.
Now, let’s be clear - A&M has every reason to be optimistic about where the program is headed. According to 247Sports, the Aggies are in position to match their program record with three first-round selections in April’s draft, something they’ve only done twice before (1994 and 2014). That’s not just hype - it’s a sign that Elko’s vision is taking shape.
Cashius Howell is a force off the edge, coming off an 11.5-sack season that earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American honors. KC Concepcion has been electric, racking up 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns.
And Chase Bisontis has been the anchor of the offensive line for three straight seasons. All three are projected to go in the first round, per Lance Zierlein’s latest mock draft.
That kind of talent pipeline is exactly what Elko and his staff have been working toward. And it’s not just draft buzz - CBS Sports has A&M ranked No. 10 in their way-too-early 2026 playoff projections. The arrow is pointing up in College Station.
But here’s the thing: Knight didn’t just hype the future. He tried to rewrite the present.
And right now, the numbers don’t lie - Texas is winning the NFL success battle. More players.
More playoff appearances. More Super Bowl reps.
Von Miller’s Super Bowl MVP performance - 4.5 sacks, including two strip-sacks of Cam Newton - remains one of the most dominant defensive showings in Super Bowl history. That legacy is real. But when it comes to current NFL production, the Longhorns have the edge.
A&M’s got the momentum. Texas has the receipts. And thanks to one tweet, the rivalry just found another gear - even in the offseason.