Ray Coney and Daymion Sanford headline a revamped Texas A&M defense as Mike Elko and Lyle Hemphill rebuild the Aggies’ linebacker corps for 2026.
Texas A&M football enters the 2026 season with a new look on defense, but the mission in College Station remains the same ... restore the teeth of the Aggies’ run defense and revive the identity of the Wrecking Crew.
Head coach Mike Elko, who will again handle defensive play-calling, now pairs with first-year defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill as Texas A&M reshapes its defensive front.
The Aggies attacked the offseason through the transfer portal and recruiting trail, bringing in 17 newcomers to strengthen a defense that showed flashes but struggled late in the year. Nowhere was the need for reinforcements clearer than at linebacker.
Enter Ray Coney.
The former Tulsa standout arrives in the SEC with production that jumps off the stat sheet. Coney piled up 129 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks last season, finishing tied for 10th nationally in total tackles.
Over his college career - which began at East Tennessee State before transferring to Tulsa - the veteran linebacker has totaled 273 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 35 games.
His resume earned him First-Team All-American Conference honors, and expectations are high that he can bring physicality and leadership to Texas A&M’s defense immediately.
Coney will line up next to senior linebacker Daymion Sanford, the lone returning starter after longtime middle linebacker Taurean York declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sanford quietly emerged as one of the Aggies’ most disruptive defenders last season, finishing with 57 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and an interception.
The former four-star prospect from Katy Paetow showed steady improvement while working with strength coach Tommy Moffitt during the offseason, and his ability in coverage gives Texas A&M flexibility defensively.
Sanford’s production was consistent when the lights were brightest. He recorded seven or more tackles in five games, including key performances against Notre Dame and during the College Football Playoff matchup with Miami.
The pairing of Sanford’s range and Coney’s downhill power could stabilize a linebacker room that lost key contributors but gained experience and toughness through the portal.
Texas football analyst Mike Craven recently ranked the best linebackers playing at Texas-based programs, placing Coney at No. 3 and Sanford at No. 5, underscoring the talent now anchoring the Aggies’ second level.
For Elko’s defense, the formula is simple: stop the run, create chaos, and let the linebackers set the tone.
If Coney and Sanford deliver on their potential, Texas A&M’s defense could look far more like the Wrecking Crew fans remember.