Anto Saka steps into Cashius Howell’s old role as Texas A&M football hunts for a new SEC pass-rush problem under Mike Elko.
Texas A&M football didn’t just lose production when Cashius Howell left for the NFL. The Aggies lost a wrecking ball.
Howell, a unanimous All-American, led the SEC with 11.5 sacks and added 30-plus pressures before the Cincinnati Bengals grabbed him in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
That kind of edge presence doesn’t get replaced with wishful thinking. Enter Anto Saka.
The Northwestern transfer isn’t walking into College Station with Howell’s resume, but he might have the tools to become Texas A&M’s next pass-rush nightmare.
Saka had just three sacks last season, yet his frame, burst and upside have already made him one of the SEC’s more intriguing newcomers.
Mike Elko’s defense has a clear vision for him: line him up wide, let him attack space and force quarterbacks to panic.
Pairing Saka with rising sophomore Marco Jones gives the Aggies a young, athletic 1-2 edge punch with real bite.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford put Saka on his list of SEC newcomers “poised to breakout” in 2026, and the evaluation fits.
“Saka arrives from Northwestern as the type of edge defender the Aggies have prioritized -- long, explosive and still ascending,” Crawford wrote.
He also noted that Saka has “12 career sacks over three seasons in the Big Ten” and now gets to prove it against SEC tackles.
Crawford added that Saka’s “first-step quickness and natural bend make him an immediate pass-rush threat,” especially in sub packages. His job won’t be perfection in September.
As Crawford put it, Texas A&M needs him to “create negative plays, force hurried throws and tilt possessions.”
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That’s the bet.
Saka doesn’t have to be Howell on Day 1. But if he hits, Texas A&M’s defense could stay dangerous fast.
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