2026 College Football Preview: Texas A&M Aggies

Offensive weapons remain a strength: Texas A&M boasts PFF’s No. 7 receiving corps and returns leading rusher Rueben Owens despite losing first-round receiver KC Concepcion.

Offensive line turnover creates uncertainty: Four starters were selected in the NFL draft, leaving the Aggies to rebuild the unit with several experienced transfers.

Marcel Reed’s development is critical: Reed earned a 48.9 PFF passing grade without play action last season, with seven big-time throws and 18 turnover-worthy plays.

Mike Elko’s second season as Texas A&M’s head coach got off to a roaring start, with the Aggies opening 11-0 for the first time in 33 years before losing their final two games. That included the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance, a first-round loss to Miami (FL).

Elko was rewarded with a six-year, $69 million extension, though he lost both coordinators in the offseason. Offensive coordinator Collin Klein and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman departed, leaving wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins to take over the offense and senior assistant Lyle Hemphill to step into the defensive coordinator role.

Notable Transfer Portal Additions

ED Anto Saka (Northwestern)
OT Wilkin Formby (Alabama)
OT Tyree Adams (LSU)
S Tawfiq Byard (Colorado)
LB Ray Coney (Tulsa)

Notable Transfer Portal Losses

TE Theo Melin Ohrstrom (SMU)
DT Daelyn Evans (Mississippi State)
ED Rylan Kennedy (Florida State)
CB Jayvon Thomas (SMU)
WR Izaiah Williams (Kansas State)

Biggest strength: Offensive weaponry

While Texas A&M lost first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion, Marcel Reed still has a strong collection of weapons around him. The Aggies boast our No. 7 receiving corps in the country and return their leading rusher from last season in Rueben Owens.

Biggest question mark: How will the offense handle four new starters up front?

Texas A&M boasted an outstanding offensive line last season, but four of its five starters were selected in the NFL draft. Replacing that production won’t be easy.

The Aggies will attempt to do so with former LSU linemen Tyree Adams and Coen Echols, former South Carolina guard Trovon Baugh and Alabama transfer Wilkin Formby. While all four have extensive SEC experience, Formby was the only one to earn a PFF grade above 60.0 last season.

If the offensive line goes from one of Texas A&M’s biggest strengths to a weakness in 2026, the entire team could suffer as a result.

Quarterback: Marcel Reed

Reed is one of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the country. At his best, he looks like a top-15 player at the position and one of the nation’s most dangerous dual threats. At his worst, his unconventional mechanics and questionable decision-making can get him into serious trouble.

Reed is a significant weapon in the run game and excels off play action. Without play action, however, he earned a 48.9 PFF passing grade last season, recording seven big-time throws against 18 turnover-worthy plays.

Offensive Player Spotlight: WR Mario Craver

KC Concepcion was a first-round pick, but his sophomore teammate nearly matched his production while operating far more efficiently. Craver finished with 917 receiving yards, just two fewer than Concepcion’s 919, while his 3.25 yards per route run ranked third among Power Four receivers.

What the Mississippi State transfer lacks in size at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, he makes up for with his ability after the catch. Craver’s 575 yards after the catch ranked third in the Power Four, while his 22 forced missed tackles ranked fifth. He enters 2026 as our No. 4 receiver in the country.

Defensive Player Spotlight: S Marcus Ratcliffe

Ratcliffe is the enforcer in Texas A&M’s secondary and a versatile piece in Mike Elko’s defense. With three years of starting experience, he has developed into one of the most underrated safeties in college football. His 80.3 PFF grade ranked seventh among qualified SEC safeties last season.

Ratcliffe isn’t the flashiest playmaker, but he rarely makes mistakes and made significant strides as a tackler last season.

Bottom Line

Texas A&M outperformed expectations in 2025, but the Aggies will need quarterback Marcel Reed to take another step forward in his development if they are going to return to the College Football Playoff in 2026.