Texas A&M just took a hit that won't light up the national ticker the way a five-star quarterback flip does, but make no mistake, it matters.
Defensive end Rylan Kennedy has entered the transfer portal after three seasons in College Station, and the Aggies are losing a player who lived in the trenches, did the dirty work, and was still trending upward.
Kennedy announced his decision on social media, closing the book on a redshirt sophomore season that included 14 tackles and a career-high two sacks, with those sacks coming against UTSA and LSU.
It's not the kind of stat line that seems irreplaceable, but that's the trap.
Defensive line value isn't always measured by gaudy numbers; it's measured by reps you can trust, rotations you can survive, and bodies you don't have to babysit.
And Kennedy was exactly that ... a steady rotational piece in a loaded defensive end room.
He spent his time in the mix alongside a nasty group that included Cashius Howell, Marco Jones, T.J. Searcy, and Dayon Hayes.
When you're rotating in that kind of company, you're not just fighting the opponent; you're fighting for oxygen. Kennedy still found ways to contribute, and that's why this departure stings more than fans might realize today.
The timeline tells the story of a player who kept building.
As a freshman in 2023, Kennedy appeared in 11 games and finished with six tackles. He debuted at Miami, then logged his first tackle later in the season against South Carolina, where he recorded two.
He closed the year with tackles in three of the final five games, including the bowl game against Oklahoma State, where he picked up two solo stops and added his first pass breakup.
Then 2024 happened, the season that hinted at what he could become.
Under Mike Elko in his first year, Kennedy played in all 12 games and posted a career-high 20 tackles, including 10 solo tackles, plus two passes deflected. He also started to affect quarterbacks more consistently, recording his first collegiate sack against LSU and adding half a sack against New Mexico State.
He finished with four quarterback hurries, showing he was starting to live in the backfield even when he wasn’t finishing the play.
In 2025, his tackle total dipped back to 14, but his impact didn't disappear. He set a career high with two sacks, and his role remained that of a reliable contributor in a defense that had multiple headliners.
Now Kennedy leaves with two years of eligibility remaining as a redshirt junior entering the 2026 season, and he's the kind of portal departure that looks fine until your depth gets tested in October.
Texas A&M can reload. It usually does. But losing a proven rotational end with experience in a crowded, high-level room is how small cracks become big problems.
Wherever Kennedy lands next, he's going to help somebody. The only question now is how quickly the Aggies can replace what he quietly provided.