RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Texas A&M's 2026 season opener vs. Missouri State is just six days away, and with the conclusion of the preseason, which featured significant strides from several rising players on both sides of the ball, especially redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed, who has improved his decision-making and deep ball accuracy, at least based on what we witnessed during several scrimmages.
Among the 17 transfer portal additions, former Northwestern Edge Anto Saka has been widely described as a "grown man" who is all business on the field, while senior defensive end T.J. Searcy has been the most consistent defender outside of the Aggies' loaded secondary, entering the new season with an eye on improving as a pass rusher.
The Aggies' loaded wide receiver rotation, led by Mario Craver and now including transfer Isaiah Horton, continued to look like the team's primary strength, especially given former five-star prospect Terry Bussey's incredible performance this fall and Ashton Bethel-Roman's consistency, providing Marcel Reed and new OC Holmon Wiggins with a star-studded unit.
Focusing on the offense, replacing four starting offensive linemen has only been partially solved heading into the season opener, knowing that LSU transfer Coen Echols, former South Carolina guard Trovon Baugh, and Alabama transfer Wilkin Formby are the leaders to start at left guard, right guard, and right tackle, combined with returning center Mark Nabou.
At left tackle, LSU transfer Tyree Adams and former five-star redshirt sophomore Lamont Rogers are the names to watch going into game week. With that, here are the final two-deep depth chart projections heading into Saturday's season opener.
Quarterback
Starter: Marcel Reed
Backup: Brady Hart
Marcel Reed is returning for his second full season as the starter after throwing for a career-high 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. This month, the redshirt junior has not just improved as a passer, but looks more confident under center.
After 16 preseason practices, sophomore Brady Hart has taken hold of the No. 2 job, as the coaching staff saw more than enough when competing with freshman Helaman Casuga.
Running back
Starter: Rueben Owens
Backup: Jamarion Morrow
Rueben Owens and Jamarion Morrow both shined during the preseason, and while I believe Owens did enough to secure the starting job, a running back-by-committee approach could be in the cards given Jamarion Morrow's elite athleticism.
Depth-wise, redshirt freshman Tiger Riden is out for the year, meaning freshmen KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker should see the field throughout the season in some capacity.
Wide receiver
Starting X: Isaiah Horton
Backup X: Aaron Gregory
Starting Slot: Mario Craver
Backup Slot: Terry Bussey
Starting Z: Ashton Bethel-Roman
Backup Z: Terry Bussey OR TK Norman
Isaiah Horton, Mario Craver, and Ashton Bethel-Roman are locks to start at all three starting receiver spots, while freshman Aaron Gregory has all but secured the backup X job, especially after former five-star Jerome Myles departed the team. Terry Bussey's makes him a key depth piece in the slot or Z.
Tight end
Starter: Micah Riley
Backup: Houston Thomas
Senior Micah Riley and UTSA transfer Houston Thomas look like the clear-cut options to lead the Aggies in snaps, helping mend the loss of Nate Boerkircher, who was selected 56th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Redshirt freshman Kiotti Armstrong is one of the more intriguing players on the roster given his massive size at 6'5" and 285 pounds, while Fresno State transfer Richie Anderson also provides veteran depth.
Offensive line
Starting left tackle: Tyree Adams
Backup left tackle: Lamont Rogers
Starting left guard: Coen Echols
Backup left guard: Tyler Thomas
Starting center: Mark Nabou
Backup center: Ashton Funk
Starting right guard: Trovon Baugh
Backup right guard: Blake Ivy
Starting right tackle: Wilkins Formby
Backup right tackle: Robert Bourdon
Former five-star tackle Lamont Rogers continued to make strides this month, but with the addition of LSU transfer Tyree Adams, starting experience is key. Rogers could outperform the veteran this fall. The rest of the projected starting line is pretty cut and dry, as all four SEC transfer additions are expected to regain their 2025 roles.
Mike Elko has routinely praised the room's depth, made up of up-and-coming offensive linemen Tyler Thomas, Ashton Funk, and Blake Ivy, who would be starters elsewhere and will provide third-year OL coach Adam Cushing the ability to rotate at nearly every postion, especially Robert Bourdon, who is versatile enough to be the swing tackle and key backup at both tackle spots.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Final Texas A&M post-preseason 2026 offensive depth chart projection
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