Texas A&M HC Mike Elko's 2026 NFL Draft premonition aged very well

Heading into his third season as Texas A&M's head football coach, Mike Elko's expectations for the program remain sky high, and for good reason after the Aggies finished 11-2 while earning their first trip to the College Football Playoff, losing to eventual national runner-up Miami in the first round.

Still, accomplishing this feat in just his second year at the helm isn't just impressive, but quite telling of where the program is headed, especially with a revamped coaching staff built on experience and potential.

This spring, Elko welcomed 17 transfer portal additions, paired with 26 signees from the 2026 recruiting class, while returning veterans include starting quarterback Marcel Reed, star wide receiver Mario Craver, running back Rueben Owens, defensive tackle DJ Hicks, and most of the starting secondary.

After the Maroon & White Game, Elko and his staff further evaluated the roster, which in no way lacks physicality, speed, athleticism, and experience heading into the fall. Going all the way back to May 21, 2025, Mike Elko's first Coach's Night ahead of his second season in College Station included quite a few, including one rival fan base, highly doubted, given the way the 2024 season ended.

"When you look at the current roster, we project to have more NFL Draft picks on this (2025) football team than we have had in quite a long time," Elko stated. "I think you can see anywhere from 10 to 12 Aggies get their name called next year in the NFL Draft."