Three Defensive Battles Heading Into Week 3 of Texas A&M’s Fall Camp

With just three weeks until the 2025 college football season kicks off, all eyes are on the race for who will be starting at each position for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Mike Elko insists that “every position is up for grabs” and that no starters are set in stone, but there are definitely some jobs that have already been locked down. Positions such as quarterbacks, running backs, and linebackers, for instance, have already been defined.

Still, plenty of spots remain up for grabs. Let’s take a look at three defensive battles heating up as we head into week 3 of fall camp.

Cornerback No. 2: Dezz Ricks vs Julian Humphrey

Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Dezz Ricks (10) intercepts a pass intended for Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Tyrone Broden (5) during the first half. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Perhaps the most intriguing position battle as fall camp heads into week 3 is the fight for the No. 2 cornerback spot between Dezz Ricks and Julian Humphrey.

Ricks, a redshirt sophomore, had plenty of growing pains last season. During A&M’s late-season collapse, opponents frequently targeted him, exploiting his inexperience. This was particularly evident in the losses to Auburn and USC, where the Aggies surrendered a combined 596 yards through the air. Still, many forget that Ricks remains very much a work in progress. A former five-star Alabama signee, he enrolled early in Tuscaloosa at just 17 to get a head start learning the Tide’s defense. After limited snaps, he transferred to College Station, only to face the challenge of adapting to an entirely new scheme without a full offseason.

Now, with a season in Elko’s system and a full offseason of refinement, the former five-star recruit is poised to have a breakout year.

His competition will be Julian Jumphrey, who transferred from Georgia during the offseason. The junior played plenty of football in Athens, tallying 22 appearances in his two seasons under Kirby Smart. His freakish speed is the kind of trait that can make quarterbacks think twice before throwing his way. Humphrey also brings valuable leadership and big-game experience to a secondary that was arguably A&M’s Achilles’ heel last season.

While the competition is up for grabs, both Ricks and Humphrey are expected to see significant snaps. With Mike Elko calling the defense and new packages on the way, expect both to play pivotal roles in 2025.

Nickel back: Tyreek Chappell vs Jordan Shaw

Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Tyreek Chappell (7) celebrates after he breaks up a pass intended for Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Andrew Armstrong during the second half. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Staying in the secondary, the battle for the starting nickelback spot is one to keep an eye out for.

Jordan Shaw, a transfer from Washington, brings plenty of experience to A&M, having spent two seasons in the Big 10. He played for Indiana before transferring to Washington, where he had a great year. For the Huskies, Shaw had 37 tackles and 6 passes deflected, making him an appealing option for the starting spot.

Tyrek Chappel, who missed all of 2024 with a lower leg injury, will be battling to get his starting position back. His absence left a noticeable hole in the defense, and no one has been more vocal about his value than head coach Mike Elko.

“Tyreek Chappel is the best cover guy we have in the secondary that can play in the slot,” Elko said with confidence in last week’s press conference. “When we lost him last year, it drastically impacted us playing the way we wanted to play.”

Big words from the bossman.

With Chappell healthy and Shaw in the mix, A&M now has two legitimate playmakers competing for the role, a luxury that the program did not have a year ago.

Defensive Tackle: DJ Hicks vs. Tyler Onyedim

Texas A&M Aggies defensive line Tyler Onyedim — Iowa State Cyclones defensive line Tyler Onyedim (11) celebrates a sack against the Texas Longhorns. | Nirmalendu Majumdar / USA TODAY NETWORK

With Albert Regis most likely locking up one of the defensive tackle positions, the spotlight now shifts to the battle for the other.

Did you know that Hicks is the third-highest-rated defensive recruit in A&M history? According to 247Sports, he was a five-star prospect, the top player nationally at his position, and one of the highest-ranked players ever to commit to the Aggies.

Now a junior, the 6-foot-3, 295-pounder should finally get the opportunity to start after spending the past two seasons sitting behind NFL-bound players. In an era when most players of his caliber would have entered the transfer portal, his patience speaks volumes about both his character and A&M’s recruiting strength.

Challenging him is Tyler Onyedim, a seasoned four-year starter who transferred from Iowa State. His last two seasons were his best, piling up a combined 75 tackles while anchoring the Cyclones’ defensive front. His proven production and experience are exactly what A&M’s front four needs after losing three players to the NFL Draft.

Despite the star power up front last year, the Aggies’ defensive line underwhelmed, tallying just 25 sacks. Only 8.5 of those came from the trio now playing on Sundays. With Hicks, Onyedim, and Regis expected to rotate heavily, this year’s front could take a major step forward. Don’t be surprised if what was once a weakness turns into one of A&M’s biggest strengths.