Texas A&M’s 2026 defensive line will now be led by a new rotation of returning veterans and transfer additions, while the offseason losses of unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, defensive tackles Albert Regis, and Tyler Onyedim were selected in the second and third rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
This was expected before the 2025 season began, leading coach Mike Elko and his staff to focus on the offensive and defensive trenches and to land four SEC starting offensive linemen and five defensive linemen, including Northwestern transfer edge Anto Saka and North Carolina nose tackle CJ Mims.
With rising sophomore edge Marco Jones set to start at the Jack position due to his versatility as a pass rusher and coverage linebacker, new defensive line coach Elijah Robinson will have his work cut out for him, but should feel confident knowing that senior defensive tackle DJ Hicks and senior defensive T.J. Searcy are back in the fold and already understand what the coaching staff expects.
Talent is not an issue, as Anto Saka will be one of the more scouted players in the SEC this season, given his size and NFL-level athleticism, and while the pass rush should be on par with last season’s success, the loss of star linebacker Daymion Sanford, who will miss at least the first half of the regular season, places more pressure on the defensive line to win upfront.
How the rotation will look this fall is still up in the air, and among the rest of the SEC, Texas A&M’s defensive line is considered a top 5 unit, coming in at No. 5 in Sporting News writer Steven Lassan’s latest rankings. Oklahoma coming in at No. 1 and Texas at No. 2 make sense given the returning depth for both teams, but the Aggies should have been considered for the third or fourth spot; the various unknowns are also worth considering.
Last season, Texas A&M finished fourth nationally in sacks (43) and allowed 21 points per game.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M’s 2026 D-line ranked Top 5 in CFB analysts’ SEC DL rankings
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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By Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
