Lyle Hemphill Highlights One Texas A&M Position Fans Aren't Talking About Enough

For all the talk of returning players and incoming talent in the secondary, there is one position that appears to be flying under the radar for the Texas A&M Aggies on defense.

When meeting with the media on Tuesday, defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill highlighted the interior defensive line as a room that appears to be making the necessary strides to become a strength of the revamped defense.

And it all starts with the lone returning starter upfront, DJ Hicks.

“DJ’s been awesome. DJ’s playing hard; he’s running after the ball, he’s being physical inside,” Hemphill said.

Meaningful Depth

Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive tackle DJ Hicks (5) celebrates after a play during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hicks returned for a senior season despite having the opportunity to declare for the NFL Draft. He returned with a chance to improve his stock, leading a defensive line that will be reliant on transfers and the development of underclassmen.

“The other side has been really good. We’ve had a ton of guys with DJ,” Hemphill continued. “When DJ’s out, we have five or six guys right now we think could play in the SEC. We’ve got Landon [Rink], C.J. Mims, Angelo [McCollum], and Brandon Davis [-Swain] has come back and done a really nice job.”

Hemphill goes on to add DJ Sanders to that mix as well, saying that he believes the Aggies could have as many as five defensive tackles taking meaningful snaps.

If that turns out to be the case, it would make the interior defensive line one of the deepest rooms on the roster. Even arguably deeper than the secondary, which head coach Mike Elko has openly called potentially his best since arriving in College Station.

Hicks is the known quantity, playing in all 13 games last season and recording 26 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, and 3 sacks. Over the course of his career, he’s played in 37 games across three seasons, contributing throughout.

Now though, without an elder statesman in the room, the standard is set by the Katy, Texas, native.

“I’d like to see a lot of those guys take the next step,” Hemphill said. “If one of those guys become equal to DJ Hicks, we’re pretty good up front.”

It’s no easy bar to clear, as Hicks projects as a potential All-SEC player for the Aggies. Yet, the transfer portal additions of Mims and McCullom give Texas A&M two experienced players from elsewhere.

Mims comes to Texas A&M with 37 games of experience in four seasons. However, he’s played in 12 games each of the last three seasons (two at East Carolina and one at North Carolina). Last season under Bill Belichick, he compiled 42 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and two sacks.

McCullom, meanwhile, played in 12 of his 13 career games for Illinois last season. He totaled 19 tackles, three for a loss, and 1.5 sacks last season, and gives Texas A&M a unique body type at 6-foot-2 and 317 pounds.

If both of those transfers turn into contributors, then the talk of having four or five defensive tackles becomes very realistic.

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