Early look at Texas A&M's 2026 football roster amid future departures

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Texas A&M has officially entered the 2025 offseason in a much different spot than this time last season, as a host of departures at nearly every position will leave for the NFL Draft, while others have run out of collegiate eligibility. On Monday, senior cornerback Will Lee III and star wide receiver KC Concepcion declared for the 2026 Draft, and they won’t be the last to do so in the coming weeks.

With the single-window transfer portal set to open on January 2, head coach Mike Elko and his revamped coaching staff will have their work cut out for them, needing to keep as many players as possible while scouring the portal for defensive and offensive linemen to shore up the trenches next season.

None of this is guaranteed, but Texas A&M’s NIL budget is closer to the top 5 than the top 10 nationally. If getting back to the CFP next season is the primary goal, Elko will need to focus on landing nearly a dozen of the top-ranked portal additions instead of prioritizing depth, knowing that the incoming sophomore class and 2026 signing class provide enough depth.

Looking ahead, sophomore linebacker Tristian Jernigan and safety Jordan Pride are the only players to enter the transfer portal thus far, while senior running backs Le’Veon Moss, EJ Smith, Amari Daniels, and offensive line starters Trey Zuhn, Reubene Fatheree, Ar’maj Reed-Adams, and Dametreous Crownover are off to the NFL and have run out of eligibility.

Along the defensive line, senior edge Cashius Howell, who was a unanimous All-American this season, will likely be a first or second round pick in the 2026 Draft, while defensive linemen Tyler Onyedim, Albert Regis, and Dayon Hayes are out of eligibility.

Outside of tight ends Nate Boerkircher and Amari Niblack leaving, Elko will be in search of a new kicker, as Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel will depart. In contrast, freshman five-star kicker Asher Murray likely won’t be ready to take on the full-time kicking duties.

Lastly, before any announcements are made, starting quarterback Marcel Reed and star wide receiver Mario Craver are returning. Left guard Chase Bisontis and center Mark Nabou are the two names to watch, and several defensive starters will also be on announcement watch.

Thanks to Chance Bitters for putting together an accurate visual regarding the depth chart at every position.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Early look at Texas A&M’s 2026 football roster amid future departures

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