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Texas A&M's 2026 season will be defined by redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed taking the "next step" during his second full starting season, and even after passing for a career-high 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns last fall, Reed's 12 interceptions were tied for the second most in the SEC.
Against top-35 defenses, Reed struggled in the pocket, throwing six touchdowns and eight interceptions and completing just 59% of his passes, which directly resulted in the Aggies' historic season ending with back-to-back losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Among the record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, four starting offensive linemen, including left tackle Trey Zuhn, left guard Chase Bisontis, right guard Ar'maj Reed-Adams, and right tackle Dametrious Crownover, have officially departed after three or more seasons, leading third-year coach Mike Elko to land four SEC offensive line starters from the transfer portal.
Elko and third-year OL coach Adam Cushing are expected to use a rotation featuring every listed player, especially if the first starting unit struggles or deals with injuries.
Ahead of Mike Elko's press conference at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, the New Jersey native stated during his Monday night appearance at the Houston A&M Club that, despite the offseason losses, he is fully bought into the depth his new offensive line possesses compared to years past.
"If you look at the combination of experienced transfers with very talented youth, what we have is a much deeper offensive line than we even had last year."
Combined with six signees from the 2025 signing class, led by former five-star Lamont Rogers, guards Tyler Thomas, Blake Ivy, Ashton Funk, Isendre Ahfua, and redshirt sophomore tackle Robert Bourdon all provide immense depth and starting potential.
With senior center Mark Nabou returning as the lone 2025 starter, LSU transfers Tyree Adams and Coen Echols, paired with South Carolina transfer guard Trovon Baugh and Alabama transfer tackle Wilkin Formby, are all expected to line up in that order at left tackle, left guard, right guard, and right tackle.
This depth will be utilized to establish the run early in games with the best run blockers in the lineup, while pass protection sets will likely feature all four transfer additions, minus Tyree Adams on every down given his injury history. While this new unit has received national attention, Mike Elko's confidence is as good a sign as anything.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Mike Elko remains confident in Texas A&M's 'much deeper' 2026 O-line
