During his first full starting season, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed made significant strides as a pocket passer, ending the 2025 season with 3,169 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. But against top-35-ranked defenses, the Tennessee native completed just 59% of his passes, threw for 6 touchdowns, and 8 of his 12 interceptions.
While much of the blame falls on Reed’s shoulders, the redshirt junior has continued to work with new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins and first-year quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch, who Reed has known since his high school recruitment back when Lynch served as Vanderbilt’s OC. Trusting his decision-making, eliminating “mental mistakes,” and taking advantage of his elite wide receiver rotation should help cut down on last season’s turnover issues.
Reed’s athleticism and ability to make plays outside the pocket helped secure transfer wide receiver KC Concepcion and Mario Craver before the 2025 season, as the duo combined for 1,836 yards and 13 touchdowns. After Concepcion was selected 24th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mario Craver now leads the veteran WR room, which now includes Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton.
Texas A&M’s blatant lack of size at wide receiver condensed the offense down the stretch, forcing Marcel Reed to take fewer 50/50 shots down the field. Horton, who stands 6’4″ and now weighs 215 pounds, will immediately slot in as the Aggies’ starting X receiver and will take away coverage from Mario Craver, Ashton Bethel-Roman, and Terry Bussey underneath to create big plays on short to intermediate passes.
During SEC Media Days nearly two weeks ago, third-year coach Mike Elko spoke about the importance of adding a player like Horton to an already established rotation:
“We’ve been searching for that size guy since we got there.”
“Going out and getting a guy who has the ability to have a big catch radius and make the contested catches… I’ve been really excited about his development through this offseason.”
Texas A&M’s ability to stretch the field will not only increase Marcel Reed’s confidence in “big games,” which are littered throughout the 2026 schedule, but also provide a No. 1 target in the red zone, where the Aggies have struggled in recent years.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Mike Elko has been ‘really excited’ about transfer WR’s development
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
