DJ Hicks returns, bolstering a fearsome defensive line with crucial continuity and explosive talent for the Aggies' trench warfare.
Texas A&M didn’t just patch a hole in the defensive line over the last two days - it reinforced the foundation, added a second lock, and then bolted the door shut.
The Aggies landed Illinois transfer Angelo McCullom, followed by North Carolina defensive lineman CJ Mims, and then capped it all off with the most important move of the stretch ... senior defensive tackle DJ Hicks deciding to run it back in College Station.
That final piece is the one that changes the tone of the entire room.
Hicks’ return, first reported by Aggie Yell insider Jaxson Callaway, gives head coach Mike Elko and defensive line coach Elijah Robinson a rare luxury in today’s portal era ... continuity paired with upgrades.
Transfers bring upside. Veterans bring trust. Hicks brings both.
A former five-star out of Katy, Texas, Hicks didn’t have the instant-impact start some expected when he arrived in the 2023 class.
Veterans were ahead of him, snaps were limited, and development took time. Then Elko took over the defense - and suddenly the light came on.
Hicks put together a career year in 2025, finishing with 26 tackles, three sacks, 15 quarterback pressures, and 14 defensive stops.
Those aren’t empty numbers either. According to Pro Football Focus, Hicks posted above-average grades as both a run defender and a pass rusher, a combo that gets defensive coaches talking a little faster and a little louder.
What makes this move smart is timing.
By adding McCullom and Mims first, Texas A&M showed Hicks exactly what the plan was: raise the floor, deepen the rotation, and let competition do the rest.
Instead of running from it, Hicks leaned in.
From a practical standpoint, Aggie fans should see this as trench insurance. The SEC is still an inside-out league, and having a veteran who knows the calls, understands leverage, and doesn’t panic when the ball snaps on third-and-short is invaluable.
Hicks won’t be asked to do everything, just his job at a higher level, with more help around him.
Texas A&M isn’t rebuilding its defensive line. It’s maturing it. And with DJ Hicks anchoring a room that suddenly looks both deeper and meaner, the Aggies are setting themselves up to win the kind of games that are decided between the tackles, not on social media timelines.