6 Texas A&M Newcomers Who Will Have the Biggest Impact Next Season

College Football Playoff teams aren’t rebuilt — they’re reloaded with purpose.

Indiana’s National Championship victory wasn’t built on raw potential, but on experience, proven production and players who had already done it at the highest level.

That’s exactly what the Texas A&M Aggies did this offseason.

After losing key performers to the NFL Draft, Mike Elko didn’t just chase replacements in the transfer portal — he targeted veterans with real resumes, who don’t need time to develop and can immediately make an impact on the field.

S Tawfiq Byard

Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Tawfiq Byard celebrates his interception in the fourth quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With three seasons of college football under his belt, Tawfiq Byard has the chance to support the Aggies’ secondary following the departure of Bryce Anderson.

Byard played two seasons at USF before transferring to Colorado and Deion Sanders, recording 94 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 2 pass deflections, two interceptions and a pair of sacks. As a member of the Buffaloes’ defensive backfield, Byard led Colorado to a No. 11 ranking in opponent completion percentage over the course of the 2025 season.

The Colorado transfer’s ability to impact the game at every level, whether in run support or coverage, makes him more than just a replacement for Bryce Anderson — he’s a playmaker who can elevate the entire secondary.

CB Rickey Gibson III

Without Will Lee III, A&M remains vulnerable in the secondary. But Tennessee transfer Rickey Gibson III has the chance to become the next household name in College Station.

Gibson played three seasons for the Volunteers, starting 26 games before sustaining a season-ending injury. The Trussville, Alabama, native was on his way to becoming one of the top players in his position in the SEC, securing 42 tackles, three tackles for loss, six pass deflections and a forced fumble over the course of his time in Knoxville.

In the SEC, one weak corner can be exposed quickly — but Gibson has already proven he can hold his own against elite competition.

If he returns to form post-injury, he gives A&M a reliable presence on the outside.

LB Ray Coney

Maro Jones Ray Coney Noah Mikhail Texas A&M defense — Texas A&M displays its defensive firepower at the Maroon & White Game | Ysabella Chapa - Texas A&M Aggies On SI

Maybe one of the biggest departures from the Aggies’ 2025 team was linebacker Taurean York. As a team captain in the middle of A&M’s front seven, York led the Aggies’ defensive attack.

Transferring from Tulsa, Ray Coney has an opportunity to emerge as a new leader of A&M's defense.

In one season, Coney started 12 games, recording 89 tackles, 40 solo tackles, two pass deflections, a pair of sacks and one forced fumble.

Coney’s ability to rack up tackles and play downhill gives A&M a tone-setter at linebacker, as someone who can anchor the front seven in the same way York did.

OL Wilkin Formby

The Aggies lost a plethora of offensive linemen to the NFL, including Trey Zuhn III, Chase Bisontis, Armaj Reed-Adams, Dametrious Crownover and Reuben Fatheree. In dire need of protection, Mike Elko turned to the transfer portal to find Wilkin Formby.

With 27 games under his belt, Formby played three seasons at Alabama, serving as a member of one of the highest projected offensive line groups going into 2025.

“Playing for Alabama … when you’re watching film, we would play similar teams that A&M would play,” Formby said in a spring availability on April 2. “I would see their offensive line getting after people. I had to make a decision for me, where I would develop the most … I had to take the next step in my game, and I feel like coming here is really going to do that.”

Formby’s value is simple: stability.

Replacing nearly an entire offensive line, Formby brings SEC experience from Alabama, with a level of consistency that allows the rest of the unit to settle in and give Marcel Reed the pocket protection he needs to keep the offense on schedule.

DE Anto Saka

From Shemar Stewart to Nic Scourton to Cashius Howeel, A&M has produced NFL-caliber defensive linemen for three straight draft cycles, and Northwestern transfer Anto Saka might continue that same trend.

Saka played three seasons for the Wildcats, starting 33 games, producing 23 solo tackles and 12 sacks.

“They’ve put a lot of guys in my position into the league,” Saka said in a spring availability on April 9. “I love how disruptive they are, how they get off the ball, how they get to the quarterback … that’s something that I want to be a part of.”

A&M’s defensive identity under Elko is built on pressure, and Saka fits that mold perfectly.

WR Isaiah Horton

With KC Concepcion headed to the Cleveland Browns, A&M’s wide receiver room lacked the size to make a second-straight run at the College Football Playoff — until now.

At 6’4, Isaiah Horton immediately fills the Aggies’ pass-catching void.

Horton spent three seasons at Miami, but didn’t step into the spotlight until 2024. Over the course of his redshirt sophomore season, the Nashville native secured 56 receptions for 616 yards and five touchdowns.

Transferring to Alabama for the 2025 season, Horton shared the Crimson Tide’s workload with star wide receiver Ryan Williams — but his stats only got better. The Miami transfer recorded 14 fewer receptions, but still managed to produce in the red zone with a career-high eight touchdowns.

One of the most important factors in Horton’s addition is his familiarity with quarterback Marcel Reed.

“Everybody knows that he’s from my hometown,” Reed said in a spring availability on April 9. “Having that connection previous to him coming here is super special … I’m just excited to be playing with him and having that Nashville bond on the field. We’ve always been able to come back home in the offseason and train together. We’ve always had me throwing the ball and him catching it. It’s familiar to us.”

Horton has everything a new wide receiver needs for immediate success: size, proven skill, experience and built-in chemistry. The Alabama transfer changes the geometry of A&M’s offense, forcing defenses to account for his size and giving the Aggies an opportunity in the red zone at all times.

Highly touted freshmen, like KJ Edwards and Bryce Perry-Wright, will have their moment. But unlike these transfers, they won’t be asked to carry the load immediately.

Each of these additions to A&M’s 2026 squad fills a specific need, from pass-catching and protection to pass rush and secondary stability. More importantly, they bring something the Aggies couldn’t afford to wait on: experience.

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