Mario Craver is Texas A&M's only player in ESPN's top 100. He isn't dwelling on that - the Aggies' receiver has a much bigger goal. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)
COLLEGE STATION - ESPN's ranking of the country's top college football players featured numerous players from Texas schools but only one Texas A&M player made the list. Wide receiver Mario Craver slotted in at No. 86 on the list. "I really don't look too much into that," Craver said. "Everybody got their own opinion honestly. I don't really let that fill in my head." Craver transferred from Mississippi State after his freshman season in 2024, making nine starts for the Aggies in 2025. He caught 59 passes for 917 yards and four touchdowns during the campaign, which led to the first College Football Playoff appearance for Texas A&M. ESPN named him the 87th best player in the country at the end of the 2025 season, one of three Texas A&M players to make the list. Fellow wide receiver KC Conception and defensive lineman Cashius Howell also joined him in the top 100, but both have since moved onto the NFL. The 5-foot-9 Craver is expected to once again be a top target for quarterback Marcel Reed in the Aggies attack. "He's one of the more explosive, dynamic slot receivers I've been able to be around," Aggies coach Mike Elko said during SEC Media Days. "I think he does a really, really good job of creating separation. He plays bigger than his size. I think he'll have a really, really big year for us if he can find a way to stay healthy and be consistent week in and week out as we go through the season." ESPN's top 100 ranking has 16 players from Texas schools. The highest-ranked player from the state is Texas edge Colin Simmons at No. 3. Three other Longhorns - wide receiver Cam Coleman, quarterback Arch Manning and offensive lineman Trevor Goosby - rank in the top 15. In total, seven Longhorns made the list. There were also six players from Texas Tech, one from Houston (offensive lineman Shadre Hurst at No. 69) and one from SMU. When asked whether it was accurate to have only one Aggie in the top 100, Craver was direct. "That's their opinion," he said. Craver said one of his biggest improvements in the team this offseason has been its football IQ. He said it will show itself on the field with the pace of play and how quickly teammates will communicate with each other. "We're a smarter football team," Craver said. The Aggies open the season against Missouri State at 6 p.m. Saturday at Kyle Field. Texas A&M won 11 games last year before dropping its final two contests of the season to Texas and Miami in the CFP. Craver said he doesn't have stats he's aiming to reach this year but he is focused on winning a national title. "We haven't really won anything," Craver said. "That's something we all want to do. We all want to get trophies in the building. But honestly, me, I just want to go out there and have a good season. Win a national championship. That's my only goal." Subscribe There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢. This article originally published at Texas A&M receiver Mario Craver focused in on team goals, not individual accolades.