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Texas A&M junior LB is coming off his best practice yet
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- Texas A&M junior LB is coming off his best practice yet
Texas A&M's 2026 linebacker rotation entered the offseason as one of the few question marks on defense, as Taurean York 's departure this offseason left a massive hole at middle linebacker, leading third-year coach Mike Elko and new LB coach Travis Williams towards one of the more underrated names in the transfer portal: Tulsa linebacker Ray Coney .
Through 14 preseason practices, Coney's athleticism and football IQ have stood out, while senior LB Daymion Sanford , who is nearly 100% recovered from his brutal fibula injury suffered during the Maroon & White Game, made play after play during Saturday's 14th practice , showing off his 2025 pursuit speed on a linebacker blitz that would have resulted in a sack on starting quarterback Marcel Reed.
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Combined with sophomore Noah Mikahail, Sanford's return paves the way for Texas A&M 's linebacker rotation to improve against the run given the size advantage, while junior LB Jordan Lockhart had his best practice yet, shooting the gap to tackle freshman running back KJ Edwards for a TFL and safety, and is on track to serve as the primary backup at middle linebacker.
Right now, the assumption is that Ray Coney wins the starting MLB job, while Daymion Sanford and Noah Mikhail will serve as the weak-side linebackers with coverage and pass rush responsibilities, especially on third down. Jordan Lockhart 's improvement to the point of seriously contending for a starting job is a testament to his work ethic and Mike Elko's development background.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M junior LB is coming off his best practice yet
