Depth chart departures fuel strategic roster additions. Elko’s calculated rebuild prioritizes purpose and long-term vision, not chaos.
Texas A&M’s offseason movement has been busy, but it hasn’t been chaotic.
While losing more than a dozen players to the transfer portal might sound alarming at first glance, the context tells a much calmer story.
Under head coach Mike Elko, the Aggies are reshaping the roster with intention, not desperation, and the early returns suggest a calculated rebuild rather than a reset.
Most of the departures from the 2025 roster came from the depth chart, not the core. Nearly every player who entered the portal had been serving in a reserve role, which matters when evaluating roster health.
In the modern portal era, roster churn is inevitable, but losing backups is far different than losing foundational starters.
Texas A&M responded accordingly, adding 17 players over the past month to address specific needs, most notably along the offensive line after five veteran starters moved on to the 2026 NFL Draft.
One of the more notable exits was junior cornerback Jayvon Thomas.
A former four-star recruit, Thomas arrived in College Station with expectations, but opportunity never fully materialized. Veteran depth ahead of him limited his snaps, and despite flashes during preseason work, his role remained small during the 2025 campaign.
With Will Lee III anchoring the cornerback room and logging the majority of meaningful reps, Thomas was largely relegated to spot duty.
Now, Thomas is heading back to his home region, transferring to SMU for the 2026 season.
From a career perspective, the move makes sense. At SMU, Thomas steps into a secondary where competition still exists, but the path to consistent playing time is clearer.
For players stuck behind entrenched starters, the portal isn’t a setback; it’s often a course correction.
From Texas A&M’s standpoint, the loss is manageable.
The Aggies already moved proactively to stabilize the cornerback room by adding Tennessee transfer Rickey Gibson and retaining key contributors like Dezz Ricks and Julio Humphrey.
Depth, continuity, and experience were prioritized, ensuring the secondary doesn’t take a step back despite roster turnover.
This is where Elko’s approach becomes evident. Rather than hoarding talent, Texas A&M is building a roster that fits its identity, scheme, and developmental timeline.
The Aggies aren’t chasing portal wins for optics; they’re filling gaps with purpose.
For the Aggies, this offseason reflects a program settling into stability. The roster is younger in spots, deeper in others, and aligned with a long-term vision. In today’s college football landscape, that kind of clarity may be just as valuable as star power.