College Station's own Houston Thomas returns home, bolstering the Aggies' tight end corps with proven receiving and blocking prowess. A major portal win secured.
Texas A&M is on the board in the 2026 transfer portal.
The Aggies landed their first portal commitment of the cycle with UTSA tight end Houston Thomas, a College Station native who will spend his final year of eligibility in maroon and white.
Considering Thomas' roots and his familiarity with head coach Mike Elko's program, the move felt like it had been trending for a while, but Texas A&M still needed to close, and it did.
Tight end quickly became a glaring offseason need in College Station with 2025 starters Nate Boerkircher and Theo Melin Öhrström moving on, plus reserve tight end Amari Niblack declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.
That left the Aggies thin at the position, with Kiotti Armstrong and Micah Riley as the only returning scholarship options. Bringing in Thomas stabilizes the room immediately and allows the staff to shift its full attention to other priority areas, particularly the defensive line and wide receiver group.
With Thomas locked in, Texas A&M can now focus on hosting high-end portal targets, including a major visit on the horizon from Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, the No. 1-ranked portal player.
On the field, Thomas gives Texas A&M something it hasn't consistently had at tight end in years ... a proven, volume pass catcher who can stress defenses.
He arrives after producing 918 receiving yards and five touchdowns at UTSA, including 34 receptions in each of his last two seasons with the Roadrunners. The production is real, and the fit is obvious, especially with quarterback Marcel Reed needing reliable intermediate targets and red-zone options.
At 6-5 and nearly 250 pounds, Thomas brings NFL size and a reputation for being more than a route runner. He posted solid Pro Football Focus grades, including a 67.4 receiving grade and a 66.3 pass-blocking grade, and he earned all-conference honors in his final season at UTSA.
That blend of receiving and functional blocking should translate quickly in an Aggie offense that wants to attack downhill but also create matchup problems off play action.
Paired with Armstrong's athletic upside, Thomas gives Texas A&M a legitimate tight end foundation heading into next season, and for an offense trying to get more efficient in the run game while staying explosive through the air.
The Aggies wanted their portal offseason to start with a win. They got one.