This Texas A&M Player Could Be A Breakout Star, But Nobody's Talking About Him

The Texas A&M Aggies could see one of their second-year players having a big impact on the 2026 season.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko takes the field prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes during the first round of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas A&M Aggies have several players who are already expected to be big-time contributors heading into the 2026 season.

The Aggies have players like quarterback Marcel Reed, wide receiver Mario Craver, and edge rusher Anto Saka, all of whom will be looked at to sustain the lofty expectations Texas A&M rolls into 2026 with.

However, as the Aggies look to cement themselves as one of the premier powers in the SEC and finally compete for an SEC championship or a bigger goal of playing for a national championship, Mike Elko's squad will need several other players to step up this season. And one sophomore could be poised to make the jump.

Noah Mikhail is Set for a Big Sophmore Season

Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Noah Mikhail | Ysabella Chapa - Texas A&M Aggies On SI

While the Aggies should have a formidable offense with plenty of firepower, with the likes of Reed, Craver, wide receiver Isaiah Horton, and running back Rueben Owens II leading the unit, Texas A&M's biggest strength could be the defensive side of the ball, especially with Elko, who is a defensive-minded head coach.

The Texas A&M defense is losing plenty of players who were stalwarts for the unit, especially at the linebacker position, with the big loss of linebacker Taurean York. And a player who could immediately step into a big role is sophomore linebacker Noah Mikhail.

Mikhail saw plenty of the field during his first season in College Station, playing in 13 games as a true freshman. And while he didn't receive plenty of snaps, the linebacker was able to produce with 16 tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, and a quarterback hurry.

Throughout Fall Camp, Mikhail has worked to step up and be a difference maker for the Texas A&M defense as a sophomore, talking about the growing role he could have headed into 2026.

“As a linebacker in our defense…there's got to be a commanding presence out there, something getting the defense set," Mikhail said. "So that role, and some things coach is getting me to work on in the spring, footwork-wise, has really played into how I've grown as a linebacker. And just the physicality piece of it, coach has got us playing far downhill, and that just helped out a lot with my game, and I feel like (I'm) making some good strides this fall."

And having Mikhail grow as a bigger piece of the Texas A&M defense, especially as a voice in the middle of the unit, will be crucial as linebacker Daymion Sanford continues to work back from a fibula injury.

While Sanford will more than likely be back at some point this season, Mikhail has the perfect opportunity to be a productive and reliable piece of the Aggies' defense, and he will be in line for a major breakout season, which could be huge for Texas A&M's major expectations.

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