Texas A&M’s second preseason practice took place on Thursday evening, as the 2026 roster continued to showcase its talent, especially the Aggies’ deep wide receiver rotation, now including Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton and standout freshman Aaron Gregory. Along the defensive line, Northwestern transfer Anto Saka and sophomore Marco Jones now lead a relatively new pass rush unit, while senior DT DJ Hicks and senior defensive end T.J. Searcy bring extensive experience in the trenches.
Given his background as a former five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, DJ Hicks has received more attention this offseason, which makes sense, but T.J. Searcy’s return to the lineup is equally impactful, serving as one of the more reliable run defenders and recording 20 tackles, 2 sacks, and 10 pressures during his first season with the Aggies after transferring from Florida.
Last season, Texas A&M’s back-to-back losses to Texas in the regular season finale and Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff can’t fully be blamed on starting quarterback Marcel Reed’s struggles, knowing that the Aggie run defense gave up 218 rushing yards against the Longhorns and 175 yards against the Hurricanes.
Searcy finished the 2025 season with a 77.6 run defense grade and a 78.4 tackling grade, making him one of the most consistent defensive linemen on the roster. On track to start at defensive end opposite Anto Saka, GigEm247’s Cade Draughon stated on Wednesday that Searcy isn’t being talked about enough, and I’d have to agree.
Combined with transfer nose tackle CJ Mims, there are plenty of new faces, but the continuity that Hicks and Searcy provide should result in A&M’s 2026 defensive line matching last season’s production.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M senior DE enters the 2026 season highly underrated
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
