Among Texas A&M’s 17 transfer portal additions, former Northwestern Edge Anto Saka, who recorded 30 pressures last season, has looked utterly dominant over the first three preseason practices, while his business-like approach has garnered plenty of praise from the coaching staff and his new teammates.
While Saka has undoubtedly been one of the more impressive newcomers, sophomore Edge Marco Jones deserves equal praise after putting in the work this offseason, adding more muscle to his frame, now standing 6’5″ and 261 pounds. According to AggieYell (subscription required) insider Carter Karels, the former blue-chip prospect has increased his lifting numbers, with his bench press max rising from 385 to 425 pounds, 315 to 350 lb power clean, and 425 to 485 on squat.
Last season, Jones appeared in eight of the Aggies’ 13 games, recording 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks, and after a full offseason of learning the defense and filling out his frame, the California native is in line to start at the Jack position, looking to help the pass rush gap after Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season, was selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jones’ football future is headed towards the NFL if he continues to develop, starting with taking a significant step this fall, and thanks to Carter Karels’ in-depth reporting, interviews with Jones’ father, Anwawn, Cashius Howell, coach Mike Elko, and baseball coach Michael Earley all convey the same message: Marco Jones is on pace to become Texas A&M’s “next great pass rusher.”
Outside of training with Texas A&M S&C coach Tommy Moffitt, Karels reported that Marco Jones has been working with private defensive line coach Aaron Day, who trains a plethora of NFL starting D-linemen, while his father’s background as a defensive end at Northwestern and Colorado has also aided in his development since his prolific high school career.
Cashius Howell’s background from a little-known Bowling Green starter to leading the SEC in sacks was a combination of personal growth and Mike Elko’s development chops, and while the current Cincinnati Bengal paved his own path, it was tough not to notice Marco Jones’ elite potential during his first season.
“(He) wasn’t like your typical freshman,” Howell stated. “Typically, you have young guys making young-guy mistakes on and off the field – that just kind of comes with it. I’m not saying he was 100% perfect. But seeing his attention to detail and his intentionalism on the field, in the weight room and in the meeting room, it was really a sight to see.”
Texas A&M will kick off the 2026 season vs. Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 5.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M sophomore Edge in on pace for a breakout 2026 season
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
