Texas A&M's 2026 linebacker rotation will make its debut during Saturday's season opener vs. Missouri State, and with senior Daymion Sanford slated to return after sustaining a brutal fibula injury this offseason, third-year coach Mike Elko, defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill, and new LB coach Travis Williams are counting their lucky stars that Sanford's recovery timeline was much quicker than expected. Sanford's versatility and leadership make him one of the most important players on the roster, but after Taurean York and Scooby Williams departed after the 2025 season, the addition of Tulsa transfer LB Ray Coney quickly became one of the more critical signings of the offseason. Bringing size and production, learning the defense was the next step, and after 16 preseason practices, Coney is slated to start at middle linebacker with little worry from his head coach. During his lone season with the Golden Hurricanes, Coney recorded over 120 tackles and was nationally considered one of the top run defenders given his consistent physicality, while his sideline-to-sideline athleticism has stood out this fall, earning substantial praise from Lyle Hemphill. During Wednesday's Aggie Football Hour, Mike Elko heaped more praise on Coney, who has reportedly gained more comfort in the defense ahead of the season opener and is expected to make an immediate impact and continue where he left off during his final season with Tulsa.
"Ray Coney has been really, really good… he got here and it was a learning curve for him." "He did an unbelievable job of adapting. It really started to show up this summer in OTA's."
Combined with junior Jordan Lockhart and sophomore Noah Mikhail, two players who can provide depth at middle or will linebacker, Texas A&M's 2026 LB rotation could end up being a predominant strength compared to the previous worries after Sanford's injury. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M transfer LB has done an 'unbelievable job adapting'