ESPN predicts Texas A&M star DB to win Jim Thorpe Award

Texas A&M's 2026 defensive back rotation is led by a safety room that now includes Colorado transfer Tawfiq Byard, who did not allow a passing touchdown in over 500 coverage snaps during his final season in the Big 12. Still, the return of senior safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks makes this one of the top rotations in the country with plenty of versatility.

In the 2027 recruiting class, coach Mike Elko and new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill have been focused on figuring out how they'll use blue-chip safeties Kamrui Dorsey and JayQuan Snell once they make their way to campus next year. Going back to Elko's career as one of the top secondary coaches, it's no surprise that the recruiting success continues.

Ratcliffe and Brooks head into the summer as two of Texas A&M's five team captains for the 2026 season, while Brooks, who was recently regarded as one of the program's more scouted players among a roster now featuring 17 transfer additions and 26 signees from the 2026 recruiting class, is now ESPN's favorite to be the one Aggie favored to win one of the more prestigious college football awards.

After recording a career-high 62 tackles, four sacks, and an interception, Brooks is now predicted to win the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in the country after every CFB season.

"Brooks' return to the Aggies over moving on to the NFL sets the A&M secondary up to be the strength of the defense, and the safety, who was one of the nation's top defensive back recruits coming out of high school, has blossomed into a versatile defender. Last season, he had 62 tackles, four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. He has to be accounted for on every play, and with one more year under his belt, he's ready for a star turn."