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Texas A&M Corner Among Fastest Players in EA Sports College Football 26

The new Texas A&M cornerback cracks the top five in the game’s speed rankings and brings much-needed depth to a rebuilding Aggie secondary.
Diego Saenz|
Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Julian Humphrey can’t haul in an interception against Florida Gators wide receiver Marcus Burke
Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Julian Humphrey can’t haul in an interception against Florida Gators wide receiver Marcus Burke | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas A&M Aggies

With the release of the renowned EA College Football 26 days away, the company has begun building buzz before the release by giving us a sneak peek at player rankings.

One of the latest reveals? The top 10 fastest players in the game.

Among them is none other than Texas A&M cornerback Julian Humphrey.

Who Ranks Ahead of Julian Humphrey?

He ranks as the No. 5 fastest player in the game with a blazing 98 speed rating. The only players ahead of him all hold perfect 99 speed scores, three of whom also hail from the SEC: South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor (No. 1), LSU’s wide receiver Barion Brown (No. 2), and Arkansas’ wide out Jordan Anthony (No. 4).

Three of the five players behind Humphrey are also all SEC players. It really does mean more.

Humphrey, who transferred to College Station this offseason from Georgia, is bringing elite speed to a defensive back unit that struggled heavily this past season.

Under defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, the Aggies ranked near the bottom of the SEC in pass defense during conference play. They allowed 232.2 passing yards per game, the fourth-worst mark in the league, and gave up an SEC-worst 13.2 yards per attempt. In total, the secondary surrendered 3,018 yards and 20 touchdowns, though it did manage 16 interceptions, third-most in the conference.

The breakdowns in coverage were especially evident in November, when A&M lost three of its final four games and closed out the season on a sour note. That included a brutal finale against the USC Trojans in the Las Vegas Bowl where the Aggies gave up 295 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air and ended up losing 35-31 in the final minute of the game.

Head coach Mike Elko wasted no time addressing the issue. One of his first portal moves came on December 14, when Humphrey committed to A&M.

A former four-star prospect in the 2022 class, Julian Humphrey spent his first two seasons in Athens under Kirby Smart. After seeing limited action in a rotational role, the Houston native chose to return to his home state and suit up for the Aggies.

He joins a secondary that’s bringing back starters Will Lee Jr. and Dez Ricks, while also welcoming Washington transfer Jordan Shaw.

With Humphrey’s elite speed and SEC experience, the Aggies will aim to take a big leap on the back end after a frustrating debut campaign under Elko.

Published
Diego Saenz
DIEGO SAENZ

Diego Saenz is a junior Sport Management student at Texas A&M University, originally from Torreón, Mexico, and raised in Cedar Park, Texas. His passion for sports, especially fútbol and football, has been evident since a very young age. In his free time, he enjoys reading, watching games, listening to podcasts, and spending time with friends.

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