Pair of Texas A&M Playmakers Don New Look With Expanded Roles Ahead

A pair of Texas A&M playmakers are preparing for expanded roles by reinventing their look ahead of the 2026 season.

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed celebrates with wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman after a play during the second half against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

With KC Concepcion headed to the 2026 NFL draft, the Texas A&M Aggies are looking for new playmakers to step up in the passing game as they build around standout quarterback Marcel Reed.

Wide receiver Mario Craver emerged as an All-SEC player as a sophomore and will be one of the engines behind the Aggies’ offense. Isaiah Horton joined Texas A&M through the transfer portal and is potentially looked at as Craver’s co-star.

Heading into their third seasons with Texas A&M, wide receivers Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey are two players who will be heavily relied upon offensively. The pair of receivers enters the season with a new outlook as they emerge as potential breakout stars.

Ashton Bethel-Roman, Terry Bussey Have Big Year Ahead in 2026

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Terry Bussey runs with the football during the second half against the Utah State Aggies at Kyle Field. | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

Both Bethel-Roman and Bussey were members of the Aggies’ 2024 recruiting class. Bethel-Roman was a four-star prospect and top-30 wide receiver in his class, according to 247Sports, while Bussey was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 “athlete.”

Bussey was a big name in the Class of 2024, and though he played wide receiver for Texas A&M, he was a two-way player and a dual-threat quarterback. He was a small-school, four-sport athlete who dominated the Texas 2A level. He was named Mr. Texas Football by Dave Campbell's Texas Football in 2022.

His projection at the college level was a big point of interest, though he ultimately played on offense rather than cornerback. 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks said Bussey may “encounter [a] technical learning curve moving to receiver … [but you] must consider, frankly, just how dynamic he is with the ball in his hands.”

Bethel-Roman, meanwhile, was far from an under-the-radar recruit, ranking inside the top 150 players in his class. Coming from Missouri City, Texas, a region where the Aggies have found success in the past, he committed in February 2024 and enrolled early before redshirting his freshman campaign.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman runs a route during the first half against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

While Bussey saw more action in Year 1 (236 offensive snaps vs. 35), Bethel-Roman had a large impact as a redshirt freshman in 2025. He was eighth on the team in offensive snaps and second in routes, with Bussey finishing fourth.

Both Bethel-Roman and Bussey had impactful roles on the team in 2025. Bethel-Roman paced the Aggies in snaps out wide (325). With Craver dominating the snaps in the slot, Bussey had a role as an outside wideout as well.

Heading into 2026, both players will be relied upon to step up, as Concepcion heads to the NFL draft. Reed helped with the pitch for Horton through the transfer portal, and he could serve as another strong outside presence alongside Bethel-Roman, opening up opportunities in the middle of the field.

With a big year ahead for both Bethel-Roman and Bussey, they are preparing with a new look. Both players announced they would be wearing new jersey numbers, with Bussey swapping from No. 2 to No. 6 and Bethel-Roman (who wore No. 87 in 2024) going from No. 3 to No. 8.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Terry Bussey runs with the ball in the first half of a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

The quartet of Craver, Horton, Bethel-Roman and Bussey provides a tantalizing upside and plenty of dynamism. Holmon Wiggins, who served as the Aggies’ wide receivers coach, enters his first season as Texas A&M's sole offensive coordinator — a critical piece of the puzzle.

“One thing we felt like we tried really hard to get and weren't able to was just a taller kid, and I think what you have now is a taller, physical wide receiver who has played a lot of high-level competitive football,” head coach Mike Elko said in a press conference on Feb. 16 about the addition of Horton.

“Another diverse skill set to add to that room, and a different one than the guys that we have in there.”

Horton, listed at 6’4” and 208 pounds, should play more of the X-receiver role that Bethel-Roman had in 2025, which should give him more opportunity to play off the line as a flanker. He moves well for his six-foot frame and can eat coverage with his long strides, track background and smooth movement skills.

Alabama's Isaiah Horton celebrates an Alabama touchdown during the College Football Playoff game against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Gaylord Family–Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Concepcion’s absence could vacate more snaps in the slot, where Bussey could thrive with his speed, acceleration and agility. Craver should lead the team in the slot, and Bussey could split his time between the inside and outside receiver roles.

As Elko mentioned, the Aggies have a variety of receiving talent and skill sets, which could give Reed answers to any equation as he continues to develop as a true passer. Craver and Horton are looked at as the Aggies’ stars, but Bethel-Roman and Bussey have the opportunities to transform Texas A&M’s passing attack.