Texas A&M defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill and head coach/lead play-caller Mike Elko can either go with fifth-year grad student Bryce Anderson or fourth-year two-time transfer Jordan Shaw at the nickel spot before the 2026 season kicks off. The former is a safety by trade, the latter a corner. Thus far, it seems Shaw has come from behind and leap-frogged Anderson during fall camp in the last week.
Shaw is getting the bulk of the first-team reps right now, even though Anderson was one of the top options to win the starting nickel job in the spring before we knew the extent of his recovery. Plenty has changed since the spring, including a jump from Shaw.
Shaw is not only defending the slot well, but he's meeting the moment against the run. Shaw's physicality is proving itself against tight ends who are both blocking and eligible downfield as receivers.
That leaves Anderson behind the eight-ball a bit. His coverage abilities make him a fit at safety, but he may not have the physical profile to get the bulk of the reps, especially after so much time away from live-game action. Anderson has been a major player on the defense since well before Hemphill and Elko came around, playing nickel in 2023 and collecting 54 tackles in that role, so that helps his cause.
Ultimately, though, it's about what both have done lately, and Shaw has Anderson beat in that category by a good margin.
Shaw's arrival from Washington in the portal ahead of the 2025 season was a major godsend for the Aggies . Anderson suffered an injury in Week 3 last September and narrowly avoided a catastrophic one , after colliding with Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon and a teammate to cost the rest of the season outside of the Florida game.
The scene was scary in South Bend. Anderson was motionless for several minutes and was taken off the field on a backboard. His recovery is a feel-good story, but he's naturally behind nearly a year later.
Missing most of the year with a new coach in charge of the secondary was not ideal for Anderson's development. Still, beginning the season as the backup doesn't mean he can't find a way onto the field as a starter by season's end.
We'll see how the rest of fall camp and the fall unfold in College Station.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tamu as One Texas A&M Football Position Battle That Has Already Taken a Turn in Fall Camp .
