Starting QB secured. Now, the Aggies scout the portal for crucial depth, eyeing a familiar face with SEC dreams.
Texas A&M’s 2026 quarterback room is both settled… and completely unsettled at the same time.
On one hand, Marcel Reed re-signing earlier this month gave the Aggies exactly the stability that they wanted at starter. The redshirt junior is back as the unquestioned starter after a season in which he stayed healthy for all 13 games and steadily grew into the role. In today’s college football climate, that alone feels like winning the lottery.
Behind him? That’s where things get uncomfortable.
With sophomore Miles O’Neill transferring to North Carolina this week, the Aggies’ depth chart now reads like a spring practice attendance sheet.
Incoming freshman Helaman Casuga. Incoming sophomore Brady Hart. Freshman Eli Morcos. That’s it. No experienced safety net. No proven No. 2. Just potential, projection, and crossed fingers.
And while the staff is reportedly high on Hart’s upside and intrigued by Casuga’s skill set, relying on young quarterbacks to be emergency-ready is how seasons quietly unravel.
Quarterback depth isn’t a luxury anymore. Marcel Reed staying healthy last year was a blessing, not a blueprint for success.
That’s why the transfer portal conversation isn’t over in College Station.
One familiar name already circulating is Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad, a former A&M recruiting target. But another, perhaps more fascinating option, just entered the mix in USC freshman Husan Longstreet.
Aggie fans will remember the name.
Longstreet was once committed to Texas A&M before flipping to USC, where he served as the Trojans’ primary backup in 2025. In limited action, he threw for 103 yards and a touchdown while adding 76 rushing yards and two scores on the ground ... just enough tape to remind everyone why programs wanted him in the first place.
With Jayden Maiava re-signing at USC, Longstreet’s path to starting in Los Angeles is blocked. He’s almost certainly portal-bound in search of opportunity. The question is whether Texas A&M makes sense.
From A&M’s perspective? Absolutely. Longstreet brings live-game experience, athleticism, and familiarity with the program’s recruiting pitch. Sitting one year behind Reed as QB2, not QB4, could be ideal for his development.
From Longstreet’s perspective? That’s trickier. He may be looking for a clear runway to start immediately, not another season holding a clipboard.
But don’t assume the room is finished.
If A&M adds one portal quarterback with real snaps under his belt, this becomes a strength again. If not, the margin for error in 2026 gets razor-thin, and that’s not where you want to live in the SEC.
The starter is set. Now comes the insurance policy.