Texas A&M’s defense took a hit this offseason after unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks and 30-plus pressures during his second and final season with the program after transferring from Bowling Green, was selected in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
While his departure was expected, losing a star pass rusher throws a wrench in any defensive scheme, leading coach Mike Elko and his staff to scour the transfer portal for an immediate replacement, as Northwestern defensive lineman Anto Saka, who was underutilized as a pass rusher during his first two seasons with the Wildcats, is already built like an NFL Edge, and drips potential as a double-digit sack artist.
Entering a program that helped develop the likes of future Hall of Fame defensive ends Myles Garrett and Von Miller, Saka will join rising sophomore edge Marco Jones, who appeared in eight games last season, as the team’s 1-2 pass rush punch, while Saka’s ability as a run defender with more size compared to Cashius Howell makes him a plus-player on run downs.
Saka’s commitment flew under the radar to say the least after recording just three sacks last season, but in the NFL scouting community, a breakout season with the Aggies could result in the Maryland native being selected in the first two rounds of the 2027 NFL Draft.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford recently ranked his 12 newcomers to the SEC who are “poised to breakout” in 2026, which included Anto Saka after his impressive Maroon & White Game performance this spring.
“Saka arrives from Northwestern as the type of edge defender the Aggies have prioritized — long, explosive and still ascending. With 12 career sacks over three seasons in the Big Ten, he has already proven he can produce at a high level and now gets an opportunity to showcase his talent against elite SEC competition.
His first-step quickness and natural bend make him an immediate pass-rush threat, especially in sub packages where he can attack tackles in space. Texas A&M doesn’t need him to be a finished product in September. It needs him to create negative plays, force hurried throws and tilt possessions in the Aggies’ favor.”
Crawford nails his description of what the Aggies expect from Saka, who, similar to Cashius Howell, will be deployed as a wide-nine pass rusher in one-on-one opportunities against susceptible tackles, and create negative plays in the run game, while forcing quarterbacks into quick throws.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M transfer Edge named one of 12 SEC players poised to breakout
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
