Texas A&M’s returning defensive production ranked 9th in the SEC

This offseason, just days after the annual Maroon & White game, Texas A&M coach saw a record ten players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, including several starting defenders, led by unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season. Paired with defensive tackles Albert Regis and Tyler Onyedim, going in the third round, the Aggies‘ defensive line will look very different this fall.

After landing 17 transfers just weeks after the conclusion of the Aggies’ 10-3 loss to Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff, more than half of these new additions are on defense, as former Northwestern edge Anto Saka and Colorado transfer safety Tawfiq Byard stand out as two new players set to make an immediate impact.

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Still, Texas A&M’s 2026 defense will return several key starters, as cornerback Dezz Ricks, safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks, and the nickel rotation of former starting safety Bryce Anderson and Jordan Shaw make up one of the deepest secondaries in the SEC.

In the trenches, senior defensive linemen DJ Hicks and T.J. Searcy will all be counted on to provide a consistent pass rush presence, while rising sophomore edge Marco Jones is poised to start at the Jack position after appearing in eight games last season.

Compared to the rest of the SEC, on 47% of the Aggies’ 2025 defense will return this fall, ranked ninth in the SEC, combined with 53% of the team’s tackle production returning, 47% of the tackles for loss and sacks, and just 41% of the program’s pass deflections and interceptions.

Overall, each notable starter will be counted on to lead the defense, but after the spring season, nearly every transfer addition slated to compete for a starting or reserve role will be considered upgrades from a size and scheme-fit perspective.