Texas A&M Aggies Given Modest Preseason Top-25 Ranking After Spring Practice

The Texas A&M Aggies are viewed as one of the nation's top-25 teams heading into next season, but there ranking may not be as high as some would have expected.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After a rather positive start to the Mike Elko era in College Station, the Texas A&M Aggies are looking to take another step forward in 2025.

After falling just one game short of making the SEC championship game, that seems like a fair place to start. But so does the expectation of potentially seeing the Aggies earn their first berth into the now expanded College Football Playoff.

However, even after an offseason where Elko and Co., reeled in the nation's No. 9 ranked recruiting class in addition to adding talent via the transfer portal, a preseason top-25 poll from 247Sports has the Aggies starting at No. 23.

"Texas A&M finished one win shy of a berth in last season's SEC title game and added more pieces to the offenses to support Marcel Reed and Le'Veon Moss in the backfield," 247Sports' Brad Crawford writes. "Generating a pass rush after losing a couple high-end picks is a major factor."

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) looks for an open receiver as Texas Longhorns linebacker Trey Moore (8) defends during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Losing three top-65 NFL Draft picks from the front seven is a valid concern heading into the season. Replacing the likes of Shemar Stewart, Shemar Turner, and Nic Scourton is easier said than done. However, the defensive line was a position they improved in the transfer portal with the additions of Tyler Onyedim, T.J. Searcy, Sam M'Pemba, and Dayon Hayes.

Add those in with the returns of Cashius Howell, Albert Regis, DJ Hicks, and even a highly-touted freshman like Marco Jones, the Aggies hope they have done enough reloading upfront.

The same thing could be said about the wide receivers. A lack of an explosive passing game was apparent throughout last season, and they obviously made it a point to add talent at receiver. The transfers of Kevin Concepcion, Mario Craver, and Jonah Wilson, are set to help Reed on the perimeter, while Le'Veon Moss leads the way out of the backfield.

On paper, the Aggies have improved their roster from last season. The only question that remains is how will that play out on the field.