Texas A&M CB on working towards generating more interceptions in 2026

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Texas A&M's first full preseason practice open to the media took place on Saturday afternoon, and by all accounts, all of us in Aggie media can agree that junior wide receiver Terry Bussey took the cake as the top performer, making an impressive one-handed grab, which, based on the last two practices, was no random act of brilliance on his part.

Similar to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman's rise this time last year, Bussey, a former five-star athlete in the 2024 recruiting class, was still learning the position after playing quarterback, running back, and cornerback during his historic career at Timpson High School.

Combined with junior Mario Craver, Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton, Jerome Myles, and rising freshman Aaron Gregory, Texas A&M's 2026 wide receiver rotation is loaded with NFL talent, but so is Texas A&M's secondary, which third-year coach Mike Elko praised as an "SEC-level" unit thanks to the returning starters in several transfer portal additions at cornerback and safety.

Now including Colorado transfer safety Tawfiq Byard and former Tennessee cornerback Rickey Gibson, veteran corners Dezz Ricks and Julio Humphrey, combined with the elite safety duo of Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe, provide new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill the ingredients to fix one of the Aggies' remaining issues: interceptions.

After recording just three interceptions during the 2025 season, Julio Humphrey, who spoke to the local media after Saturday's practice, stated that Hemphill has emphasized the jugs machine, with every defensive back making "25 catches" pre-practice.

Texas A&M's 2025 defense was in position to make a play on the ball more often than not last season, but failed to come down with the ball on multiple occasions. For every cornerback and safety on the roster, possessing at least average receiving skills is necessary to increase the turnover number this season.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M CB on working towards generating more interceptions in 2026

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