Recapping Texas A&M's 2026 transfer portal class after 17 commits
Since the 2026 NCAA transfer portal opened on Friday, January 9, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and his staff have added 18 players, headlined by former Alabama star wide receiver Isaiah Horton , who signed with the Aggies earlier this week.
Texas A&M's 2025 season ended with a 10-3 home loss in the first round of the College Football Playoff against the Miami Hurricanes, and on its face, the issues that led to the regular season-finale loss to the Texas Longhorns continued into the postseason, including a run defense that allowed too many explosive plays, and an offense that became less balanced during the latter half of the year.
Needing to address the problems, Elko knew that he would lose a long list of veteran starters, including five offensive linemen, to the 2026 NFL Draft, while starting linebacker Taurean York also opted to leave school early, leaving another opening at middle linebacker.
With nearly a dozen players transferring out of the program, the goal was to add starting-level talent and depth at nearly every position, while the running back room, minus Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, remains untouched. However, the backup to starting quarterback Marcel Reed next season, after Miles O'Neill transferred to North Carolina, also remains a mystery.
Still, Texas A&M's 2026 transfer class is absolutely loaded with productive veterans who will compete for starting and important rotational spots this spring before fall camp, and while Isaiah Horton certainly stands out as the most important acquisition, Northwestern transfer edge Anto Saka and North Carolina transfer DL CJ Mims have created plenty of hype.
At this point, Texas A&M could add one or two more players after the transfer portal officially closes on Friday, January 16, and in an effort to provide more clarity, here is a quick rundown of all 18 players the Aggies landed over the last week, in order from highest to lowest-ranked player per On3's rankings. Texas A&M's transfer class is ranked 3rd overall by On3, and 9th overall by 247Sports.
2026 Transfer Portal Additions
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Alabama transfer OL Wilkin Formby (94th overall)
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LSU transfer OL Tyree Adams (195th overall)
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LSU transfer OL Coen Echols (227th overall)
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Northwestern transfer Edge Anto Saka (236th overall)
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Colorado transfer DL Brandon Davis-Swain (306th overall)
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Tennessee transfer CB Rickey Gibson (322nd overall)
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Alabama transfer WR Isaiah Horton (337th overall)
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South Carolina transfer OL Trovon Baugh (510th overall)
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UTSA transfer TE Houston Thomas (1235th overall)
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Illinois transfer defensive lineman (1,274th overall)
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San Diego State transfer Edge Ryan Henderson (1,289th overall)
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Colorado transfer safety Tawfiq Byard (1,447th overall)
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Fresno State transfer TE Richie Anderson (1,582nd overall)
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North Carolina transfer DL CJ Mims (1,683rd overall)
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Illinois transfer kicker David Olano (1,866th overall)
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Tulsa transfer linebacker Ray Coney (2,093rd overall)
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Houston Christian transfer linebacker TJ Smith (2,169th overall)
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Oklahoma State transfer long snapper Tanyon Freibaum
In the coming days/weeks, Texas A&M's focus should be on adding another bigger running back that thrives between the tackles, and while the transfer options continue to thin out, this, along with possibly adding one more linebacker to an already solid rotation, would put the Aggies in a great spot heading into the 2026 season.
With the news that safety Bryce Anderson has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal, the senior is expected to compete for the starting nickel spot, and will serve as a key piece to an Aggie secondary that is much deeper with the additions of Byard and Gibson.
At this stage, I would give this new group of players a B or B+. Heading into the new week, Aggies Wire will release separate grades for the additions on offense and defense.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Recapping Texas A&M's 2026 transfer portal class after 17 commits
