Texas A&M Releases Its First Official Depth Chart of the 2026 Season

After eight long months of waiting, fans and onlookers alike finally have the official depth chart for the latest iteration of Texas A&M football. Now in his third year with the program, head coach Mike Elko has been staying hot in the transfer portal and the recruiting trail to continue building the foundation for a winning culture.

While there were a handful of predictable starters for the Aggies, there were a handful of tight battles across position groups to snag those coveted first-team roles, but now it's set in stone for the season opener against Missouri State who will be jumping on the field first.

There's bound to be some eye-catchers, no-brainers and surprises along the chart, so why not dive in now to see what's on its way to Kyle Field this coming season?

Texas A&M football has released its first depth chart: pic.twitter.com/G15QjIpFwT
— Tony Catalina (@Tony_Catalina) August 31, 2026

Veterans aplenty

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver\ — Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver (1) runs with the ball during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 8, 2025. | | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

It's not a surprise to see veteran wide receiver Mario Craver down as a starting playmaker to complement his young counterpart WR Ashton Bethel-Roman, as both made a slam-dunk impact in their first year as major contributors to the A&M passing game. However, now the Aggies have a big-body target in Isaiah Horton from Alabama, who completes a lethal trio of Southeastern Conference pass catchers.

The offensive line, which had lost four starters in the NFL Draft, has been reshaped by impactful transfers, including another Crimson Tide veteran, Wilkin Formby, who has come in to do exactly what he was brought in for: start at the right tackle position.

Offensive linemen Mark Nabou Jr. and Blake Ivy are the two homegrown starters on the line, while the other three, including Formby, are made up of former SEC starters at other schools. As for the running backs, Rueben Owens II and Jamarion Morrow return to A&M, having already proved what they are capable of. Meanwhile, third and fourth string running backs Carsyn Baker and KJ Edwards arrive to campus and are poised to make an impact at a position that uses its depth often.

Defensively, ten of its eleven starters are returners to the program, with the lone shakeup being at the defensive tackle position, which brought in veteran talent CJ Mims from North Carolina to fill the void that was lost when defensive tackle Albert Regis went on to become a Jacksonville Jaguar.

At cornerback, Dezz Ricks leads the way as the Aggies' premier lockdown man, while Julio Humphrey gets his shot at creating a dynamic duo in the secondary. The two will have help from safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks, two returners who have been leaders both in their play and their voice around the program.

Perhaps to the surprise of some, Tulsa transfer Ray Coney is listed behind true sophomore linebacker Noah Mikhail. Coney's experience was a sought-after commodity when he was recruited to A&M, but Mikhail is not a stranger to the spotlight, having seen significant playing time in critical games in his freshman campaign.

Moreover, linebacker Daymion Sanford is listed as a starter as well, who, after a scary leg injury in the annual Maroon and White spring game, has apparently been nursed back to health ahead of the season opener, a great sigh of relief from the coaching staff, who believe in his ability to be one of the SEC's best.

As for special teams, utility man Terry Bussey is listed as the starting kick returner for the Aggies, while Craver will be the punt return specialist. Both have shown terrific speed in their limited time returning kicks, and will look to replicate the skill of their predecessor now-Cleveland Brown KC Concepcion.

With the team set and the order in line, the Aggies are less than a week away from putting their No. 8 AP Poll ranking to the test, so while football isn't won on the paper of the depth chart, the players listed will surely be ready to prove why they are listed as the starters for 2026.

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