Texas A&M a Team to Watch for Talented Big 12 Safety Transfer

With the transfer portal in full swing for players all across America, Texas A&M football has lost eight transfers already in this cycle. Its lone grab out of the portal? Long snapper Tanyon Freibaum out of Oklahoma State. Taking that into account, it's quite obvious the Aggies need themselves a skill player and fast.

Now with the departure of safety Bryce Anderson, the Maroon and White will be in the market for another starting-caliber safety and Colorado defensive back Tawfiq Byard is the perfect candidate to fill in an incumbent starter's shoes, according to On3 Sports.

The brother of Chicago Bears' All-Pro safety Kevin Byard III, the younger Byard is looking for his third home after spending two seasons at USF before arriving in Boulder, Colorado. A young man with plenty of talent, let's dive into what he could bring to the table for the Maroon and White.

Football: A Family Business

Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Tawfiq Byard played 10 games in his lone season in Boulder — Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. (15) runs with the ball and is tackled by Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Tawfiq Byard (7) during the fourth quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The Byard family knows a thing or two about football, as all three Byard brothers are currently playing football. While Kevin was helping the Bears to a division title, Muazz is playing college football down at Middle Tennessee State.

Therefore, Tawfiq will be looking for a place to call home, and better than that, contribute. Byard was responsible for three turnovers this season as he snagged his second career interception and forced two fumbles.

The Aggies will need that level of production out of a defensive back this offseason, for as great as the defense was in 2025, there were only three interceptions the entire season by head coach Mike Elko's unit. Crazier still, only one interception was recorded by a defensive back.

Byard also had four passes defended, which can sometimes be just as good as forcing a turnover. While adding recruiting talent into the mix is a welcome sight, bringing in a veteran player with experience can make all the difference.

A&M is not unfamiliar with turning transfers into stars, none more recent than defensive end Cashius Howell and defensive back Will Lee III. Howell is en route to a top-50 NFL Draft selection, while Lee has emerged as a top corner in the Southeastern Conference with no quarterback throwing over 300 yards against the Aggies this season.

Starting safety Marcus Ratcliffe is also a transfer turned Maroon and White starter, so perhaps College Station is truly the ideal landing spot for Byard to make his final years of eligibility the best that they can be.