Texas A&M football spring position preview: Can defensive end meet high institutional expectations?
Ever since the landmark 2020 campaign that saw the Aggies end the season as Orange Bowl winners, Texas A&M football's most feared unit on the team, from a talent perspective, has been their defensive line. The Aggies brought in five-star after five-star, building a depth of high-level recruits nigh unmatched throughout the entire country.
Now, the Aggies didn't always see those players live up to expectations. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, despite being a five-star out of high school, saw very few snaps in College Station, and is now a member of the South Carolina Gamecocks. LT Overton never quite lived up to the billing in Aggieland either. There has been a definite development issue for the Aggies, in other words.
Part of why Aggie fans were so excited for the return of Elko, though, was the perception that he would fix those issues with player development. While we've seen that in other areas of the team, the defensive line wasn't quite what fans expected in 2024.
Now, losing three starters who will likely all be drafted, including two edges, the Aggies face an interesting conundrum. There's excitement and talent around this group— not many are pointing to it as an impending weak point on the team— but there's not a lot of returning production.
Let's take a look at who the Aggies are most likely to start at defensive end this year.
Cashius Howell
Howell is one of the most anticipated players on the roster for most fans. After his close to 2024, the Aggie faithful can't wait to see what he has in store for the upcoming year.
His numbers weren't eye-popping, but he was part of a larger rotation. As the year went on, though, his role grew, and he just kept making plays. He has to be the leader in the clubhouse as far as who is expected to lead the team in sacks, and for good reason. It would be shocking if he was not a starter in game one.
Rylan Kennedy
Kennedy is a name that has been gaining steam since his performance in the Texas Bowl in 2023. The uber-athletic defensive end is a guy who seems like he could break out at any moment.
His snaps have been limited thus far, but he seems primed to make a jump. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts opposite Howell, but he'll have some stiff competition in the form of the transfers the Aggies brought in this offseason.
TJ Searcy
A longtime Florida Gator, Searcy comes to the Aggies as a guy that many in Gainesville thought would be their stud up front in 2025. If he can take the step that many Gator fans were expecting, it would be huge for the Aggies.
That said, he's a bit of a tweener at his current size, so don't expect any Myles Garrett-like pass rushes from him on a regular basis. He should be stout against the run and solid enough on third down, but unless he makes a huge leap, he won't be a double-digit sack guy for the Aggies.
Dayon Hayes
This is an intriguing one. Hayes had a couple of great years up at Pitt before transferring to Colorado, where he spent most of last year on the bench following an injury. He had had enough of Coach Prime, apparently, heading to College Station directly after.
Though he brings a lot of experience, he's not a leap-off-the-screen athlete. He should be a big factor in the locker room leadership, for sure, but I'm not sure how strong his case will be to be a starter. You need depth in the SEC, of course, and experienced depth at that— but that may be the role Hayes plays for the Ags this year.
Solomon Williams
A signing-day win over both Florida and Nick Saban's Alabama, Williams redshirted last year. He brings a reputation as a ferocious pass-rusher, but Aggie fans have yet to see him really show his stuff on the field.
Could his second year in an Aggie uniform bring a big jump for him? You have to hope so, but it's all projection at this point. His potential is sky-high, but we've seen plenty of players come through College Station with that same profile and not quite live up to those expectations. It's a new day, though, and hopefully Williams can reach that potential.
Samuel M'Pemba
M'Pemba, who transferred in from Georgia, could either be a complete monster or a complete dud. He is as athletic as anyone on the team— anyone in the conference, for that matter— but just like Theo Mehlin Ohrstrom, his experience with the game is a bit lacking.
Will this be the year that he breaks out? It's certainly possible, but he's got a lot of eligibility left. If he rides the pine for most of the year, Aggie fans shouldn't be too quick to dub him a lost cause— this was a quality long-term portal pickup, if nothing else. But if he can add to this group, it would be one heck of a bonus.