Texas A&M WR Makes Bold Claim Ahead of 2026 Season

Texas A&M’s offenses have become faster and more explosive, and one wide receiver is confident in the Aggies’ playmakers.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman runs with the ball during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It had been many seasons since the Texas A&M Aggies had a passing attack as explosive as the one they had in 2025. Midseason Heisman candidate Marcel Reed led the way under center, while the duo of KC Concepcion and Mario Craver outran defenses and racked up yards after the catch.

Despite losing Concepcion to the 2026 NFL draft, the Aggies are ready to maintain their strong receiving core. They added Isaiah Horton in the transfer portal, and young wideouts Terry Bussey and Ashton Bethel-Roman showed plenty of promise. The latter, looking ahead to kickoff in September, made a bold claim about Texas A&M’s playmakers.

Ashton Bethel-Roman Confident in Texas A&M’s WR Room

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed celebrates with wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman after a touchdown during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Reed became just the fifth different quarterback in Texas A&M history to pass for 3,000 yards in a season, slotting in at fifth ahead of Kellen Mond with 3,169. The duo of Craver and Concepcion was a large part of this with 1,836 yards and 13 touchdowns, forcing a combined 36 missed tackles after the catch.

Replacing Concepcion will not be easy, but the Aggies added a different style of playmaker in the offseason. Horton, listed at 6’4” and 200+ pounds, is a bigger-bodied receiver who provides a different element than what the team had last season. With the ability to play the more traditional X receiver role, he helps everyone fit into a better position for their skill sets.

With Horton in tow, Bethel-Roman has a high level of confidence in what Texas A&M can achieve through the air. “I seen this little list on Instagram. I was scrolling. It was the 'best receiver corps,' and we were like seven. I feel like we could be No. 1,” the Year 2 standout said to the media on March 24.

“We have real dogs, people who understand the game of football more than just being good at it, but we understand the game. We know ball knowledge and stuff like that. I feel like we could be No. 1, like the best in the nation.”

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

Bethel-Roman said that Horton was a “really big get” for the Aggies, but he was not the only reason the redshirt sophomore was confident in his teammates. Bethel-Roman said that anyone on the team can step up and be the X-factor for the offense.

“He could be; Isaiah could be the missing piece, or it could be Kelshaun [Johnson]. It could be TK [Norman]. It could be Terry [Bussey]. It could be anybody. Everything's up in the air right now,” Bethel-Roman said.

The Aggies have a variety of receivers with different skill sets this season. Craver can play in the slot and take defenses deep or catch a short pass and make would-be tacklers miss. Horton is a striding physical receiver with reliable hands and route-running ability.

Horton’s skill set is one the coaching staff has been longing to add since losing Noah Thomas in the transfer portal, according to first-year offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins, who was the Aggies’ wide receivers coach in 2025.

“As you sit here, and you look at how we ended up trying to kind of makeshift the room, it started [with] us trying to surround it around a big receiver,” Wiggins said to the media on March 17. “It just so happened that that receiver decided to leave. So we got small quickly. Now, getting a chance to get a bigger body receiver … I think he gives us an option.”

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko hugs wide receiver KC Concepcion before the game against the Miami Hurricanes during the first round of the CFP at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Bethel-Roman, meanwhile, was at times pigeon-holed into a role alongside Craver and Concepcion, but he could be in for a big season in 2026. He is a crafty, lanky playmaker who is nuanced with his routes and can pressure teams down the field.

“You want to see him take the next step. You know, he's a kid that kind of got his feet wet as a starter last year, went through the rigors of playing SEC football for the first time,” head coach Mike Elko said on March 24. “I think as the year went and he continued to grow, his role continued to grow. He got better and better. And he's had a really, really strong offseason to this point.”

The confident young receiver, Bethel-Roman, is not just inspired by the projected starters but by the whole wide receiver room. Looking at the young guys, he believes they are ready to compete, which is why he believes it is the best wide receiver group in the country.

“Usually, only three receivers could be on the field at a time. Everyone in the wide receiver room [is] hungry. Even the young guys, like TK [Norman], Kelshaun [Johnson] — even the young, young guys, the freshmen that just came in, they're hungry. They want it. I like it,” Bethel-Roman said.

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

The team is still looking for Reed to continue to evolve as a passer and clean up his turnovers, but the Aggies have done well to surround him with talent to help him succeed. Horton and Craver could help elevate Texas A&M's passing offense and be one of the best duos in the SEC.

After making the College Football Playoff in 2025, the program has set a new standard. As the Aggies look to make their return to postseason football, the wide receiver room will play an important role.