The Tulane linebacker only appeared in five games last season before an injury cut things short and is poised for a breakout campaign.
The Tulane Green Wave have a lot of returning talent, especially on defense, but one player might be a bit underrated in that mix.
The Green Wave will return redshirt junior linebacker Dickson Agu to the lineup this season after he only saw and started in five games last season before a season-ending injury to his campaign.
This year, he returns with a lot of promise and was recently named to the College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.
The award was created in 2018 and recognizes those who overcome “injury, illness or other circumstances.”
Interestingly, the award honors three college football student-athletes at the end of voting during an on-field ceremony at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl which will be in Glendale, Ari., on Dec. 30, 2026 during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal game.
The vote will happen at the conclusion of the season in a vote by a panel assembled of Associated Press College football writers and sports information directors.
Agu is one of 94 players to land on the preseason watch list.
He enters this season as an Athlon Second Team Preseason All-Conference selection and a Third Team Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference selection.
Moreover, he enters this season as a major vet with experience and leadership in an incredible second level of Tulane’s defense when it comes to those traits.
Agu got injured during the first game of conference play for the Wave last season at Tulsa against the Golden Hurricanes.
But prior to that, he totaled 36 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in that Golden Hurricanes game for his 2025 campaign.
He has a career 73 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. The majority of his stats came once he entered the starting role opposite Sam Howard in 2025.
For Agu, returning to Tulane for his fourth season was a no brainer once head coach Will Hall hired Tayler Polk, Agu’s linebacker coach, as defensive coordinator.
Not only did Agu immediately commit to sticking around, but he also started helping Polk recruit a lot of the defenders to stick around as well.
“It really helped build the foundation that we have on defense right now,” Agu told reporters early on in fall camp.
That linebacker group will certainly be a foundational piece for the Wave this season as they return a ton of snaps, experience, and talent between Agu, Chris Rodgers, and Makai Williams.
