Texas A&M’s 2026 NFL Draft success reached historic levels after 10 players were drafted, including star wide receiver KC Concepcion being selected 24th overall by the Cleveland Browns, while senior tight end Nate Boerkircher, who was a likely fifth or sixth round pick, was selected 56th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Overall, seven of the 10 Aggies selected were in the first three rounds, further proving that third-year head coach Mike Elko has rebuilt the program in his image after just two full seasons, and has continued to dominate the recruiting trail this offseason, landing his 12th commitment in the 2027 class with five-star IOL Kennedy Brown now in the fold.
Nationally, some may be shocked by how fast the Aggies have grown from a respectable program to a College Football Playoff contender after six seasons of disappointment under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, who failed to lead Texas A&M to ten or more wins even once, despite recruiting at a high level.
Under Fisher, development was a consistent issue, resulting in less interest from NFL scouts, but as soon as Mike Elko made his way back to College Station before the 2024 season, the Aggies quickly became one of the top destinations for recruits, and, especially, transfer portal players to learn, develop, and eventually, hear their names called in the NFL Draft, which came to fruition for 10 yound men last weekend.
On Tuesday, TexAgs’ interview with the respected host of “The Hardline” on 96.7 The Ticket, Bob Sturm, who has followed the Texas A&M transformation closely, responded to David Nuño’s statement that KC Concepcion and unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, both transfers, likely would not have been selected that high if they had never been developed under Elko and his staff.
Even though second-round pick and former starting left guard Chase Bisontis was a blue-chip prospect, Elko and offensive line coach Adam Cushing’s decision to move him from tackle to guard paid off in a big way. Sturm went on to say that while ten players drafted is “impressive,” this should be the norm moving forward.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M’s 2026 NFL Draft success is just the start under Mike Elko
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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