Texas A&M ranked Top 10 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll
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Texas A&M and third-year coach Mike Elko head into the 2026 season with plenty of momentum after making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, while Elko accomplished another goal after 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, including former transfer wide receiver KC Concepcion going 24th overall to the Cleveland Browns.
This offseason, Texas A&M returned 65% of its 2025 roster, while adding 17 players from the transfer portal, combined with the 2026 signing class, who will replace several key starters and provide depth at every position. After re-signing with the Aggies in January, redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed, who threw for a career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions last season, is back in the saddle again and will be throwing to an elite wide receiver rotation, led by Mario Craver, and now including Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton.
Needing to replace unanimous All-American Edge Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season and was selected in the second round by the Cincinnati Bengals, Elko added former Northwestern Edge Anto Saka, who recorded 41 tackles, 12 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles during his career with the Wildcats, while producing 30 pressures and 18 QB hurries last season.
Four of Texas A&M's 2025 starting offensive linemen were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, with senior center Mark Nabou serving as the lone returning starter, but before these players were selected, Elko and OL coach Adam Cushing landed four SEC starting offensive linemen from the transfer portal, and combined with several up-and-coming OLs from the 2025 signing class, depth will not be an issue.
On Tuesday, the first Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25 was released, placing Texas A&M at No. 8 before the Aggies kick off the 2026 season against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll
| Rank | School (Record) | Points | Last Season's Rank | 1st Place Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State (12-2) | 1,741 | 6 | 38 |
| 2 | Oregon (13-2) | 1,637 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | Georgia (12-2) | 1,591 | 5 | 7 |
| 4 | Texas (10-3) | 1,544 | 13 | 2 |
| 5 | Notre Dame (10-2) | 1,524 | 11 | 5 |
| 6 | Indiana (16-0) | 1,522 | 1 | 14 |
| 7 | Miami, FL (13-3) | 1,409 | 2 | – |
| 8 | Texas A&M (11-2) | 1,174 | 8 | – |
| 9 | Oklahoma (10-3) | 1,104 | 10 | – |
| 10 | Mississippi (13-2) | 1,096 | 3 | – |
| 11 | Alabama (11-4) | 1,050 | 9 | – |
| 12 | Texas Tech (12-2) | 1,034 | 7 | – |
| 13 | LSU (7-6) | 951 | NR | – |
| 14 | USC (9-4) | 838 | 21 | – |
| 15 | BYU (12-2) | 781 | 12 | – |
| 16 | Michigan (9-4) | 719 | 22 | – |
| 17 | Penn State (7-6) | 463 | NR | – |
| 18 | Tennessee (8-5) | 428 | NR | – |
| 19 | Washington (9-4) | 406 | NR | – |
| 20 | SMU (9-4) | 378 | NR | – |
| 21 | Utah (11-2) | 313 | 14 | – |
| 22 | Iowa (9-4) | 291 | 17 | – |
| 23 | Clemson (7-6) | 235 | NR | – |
| 24 | Houston (10-3) | 194 | 19 | – |
| 25 | Missouri (8-5) | 158 | NR | – |
The US LBM Board of Coaches for the 2026 season: Tim Albin, Charlotte; Blake Anderson, Southern Mississippi; Dave Aranda, Baylor; David Braun, Northwestern; Jeff Brohm, Louisville; Fran Brown, Syracuse; Neal Brown, North Texas; Troy Calhoun, Air Force; Jamey Chadwell, Liberty; Curt Cignetti, Indiana; Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech; Spencer Danielson, Boise State; Ryan Day, Ohio State; Kalen DeBoer, Alabama; Manny Diaz, Duke; Jake Dickert, Wake Forest; Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri; Sonny Dykes, TCU; Jason Eck, New Mexico; Mike Elko, Texas A&M; Tony Elliott, Virginia; Matt Entz, Fresno State; Jedd Fisch, Washington; James Franklin, Virginia Tech; Willie Fritz, Houston; Scott Frost, Central Florida; Tony Gibson, Marshall; Alex Golesh, Auburn; Will Hall, Tulane; Blake Harrell, East Carolina; John Hauser, Ohio; Clay Helton, Georgia Southern; Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky; Charles Huff, Memphis; Butch Jones, Arkansas State; KC Keeler, Temple; Charles Kelly, Jacksonville State; Brent Key, Georgia Tech; Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic; Collin Klein, Kansas State; Tre Lamb, Tulsa; Rhett Lashlee, SMU; Clark Lea, Vanderbilt; Lance Leipold, Kansas; Pete Lembo, Buffalo; Sean Lewis, San Diego State; Dowell Loggains, Appalachian State; Joey McGuire, Texas Tech; Jeff Monken, Army; Kirby Moore, Washington State; Eric Morris, Oklahoma State; Dan Mullen, UNLV; Billy Napier, James Madison; Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh; Brian Newberry, Navy; Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State; Barry Odom, Purdue; Tim Polasek, North Dakota State; Tavita Pritchard, Stanford; Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion; Matt Rhule, Nebraska; Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia; Morgan Scalley, Utah; JaMarcus Shephard, Oregon State; Kirby Smart, Georgia; Will Stein, Kentucky; Jon Sumrall, Florida; Lance Taylor, Western Michigan; Jeff Traylor, Texas-San Antonio; Scotty Walden, Texas-El Paso; Kyle Whittingham, Michigan; Casey Woods, Missouri State.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M ranked Top 10 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll
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