If you walk through the Bright Football Complex in College Station, you’ll see the walls lined with photos of guys who didn’t just make it to the league, but basically took it over. Honestly, the narrative around Texas Aggies in the NFL usually stops at the "big three"—Myles Garrett, Mike Evans, and Von Miller. But that’s a massive oversimplification of how deep the Maroon and White footprint actually goes. It’s 2026, and the impact of Texas A&M on professional football has evolved from just having "star power" to providing the foundational "middle class" and elite specialists that keep NFL rosters from falling apart.
The Record-Breakers: Why Myles Garrett and Mike Evans are Freaks of Nature
Let’s talk about Myles Garrett for a second. In 2025, the guy didn't just play football; he broke the sport. He set the NFL single-season sack record with 23.0. That’s insane. You’ve got to realize that Garrett is the first overall pick who actually lived up to the "generational" tag. Most first-rounders are good; Myles is an existential threat to every left tackle in the NFC and AFC alike. His 2025 campaign earned him his fifth first-team All-Pro nod. He’s now in that rarefied air where we stop comparing him to his peers and start comparing him to Lawrence Taylor.
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Then there’s Mike Evans. People keep waiting for the "age wall" to hit him. It hasn't. By the end of the 2025 season, Evans officially tied Jerry Rice’s record for 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Think about the quarterback volatility he’s survived in Tampa Bay. He’s 6'5", he’s a red-zone nightmare, and he’s been the most consistent wideout in the league for over a decade. Most people don't realize how close he is to being a first-ballot Hall of Famer. If he isn’t there already, the 2026 season will probably cement it.
The New Guard: De’Von Achane and the Speed Revolution
While the old heads are breaking records, the younger Texas Aggies in the NFL are literally changing how offensive coordinators think. De’Von Achane is the prime example. In 2025, he wasn't just a "gadget player" for the Miami Dolphins; he was a legitimate bell-cow who averaged 5.7 yards per carry. He finished the season with 1,350 rushing yards despite missing some time with a minor shoulder injury.
What makes Achane special—and what he learned in College Station—is that track speed. He’s not just fast; he’s "run away from an entire secondary" fast. When you look at the 2026 Pro Bowl rosters, Achane is a lock because he’s the type of player who can turn a 2-yard loss into a 70-yard touchdown in a blink.
The 2025 Draft Class and the Immediate Impact
Texas A&M's ability to pump out NFL-ready talent hasn't slowed down. In the most recent cycles, we've seen a shift toward high-impact defensive players. Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart were the names on everyone's lips during the 2025 NFL Draft. Scourton, who landed with the Carolina Panthers, didn't wait around. He brought that aggressive, heavy-handed style from the SEC and immediately started disrupting backfields.
- Nic Scourton (DE, Panthers): A first-round pick who led the Aggies in tackles for loss.
- Shemar Stewart (DE, Bengals): Despite a rocky start with a contract holdout, he’s become a rotational beast for Cincinnati.
- Edgerrin Cooper (LB, Packers): Cooper is basically a heat-seeking missile. He was a PFWA All-Rookie selection and followed it up with an 87-tackle performance in his sophomore jump.
It’s not just the flashy positions, either. We’ve got guys like Erik McCoy in New Orleans and Jake Matthews in Atlanta holding down offensive lines. Matthews is a legend in his own right—the son of Bruce Matthews, he’s been a brick wall for the Falcons since 2014. That kind of longevity is almost unheard of for an offensive tackle.
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The Christian Kirk Situation: A Cautionary Tale?
Sometimes, the transition isn't perfect. Christian Kirk’s journey from Arizona to Jacksonville and then to Houston in 2025 is a weird one. He’s a former A&M star who signed a massive $72 million contract that everyone mocked, then he proved them wrong by putting up 1,100 yards, and then injuries hit. By 2026, he’s hitting free agency again after an unremarkable stint with the Texans.
It's a reminder that even the most productive Texas Aggies in the NFL aren't immune to the league's "what have you done for me lately" culture. Kirk is still an elite slot weapon when healthy, but his cap hit and injury history have made him a polarizing figure among NFL GMs right now.
Specialists and the "Hidden" Aggies
Don't sleep on the specialists. Braden Mann has quietly become one of the best punters in the league. He grabbed a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles and consistently flips the field. Then you have guys like Donovan Wilson, the safety for the Dallas Cowboys. He was a sixth-round pick. Nobody expected him to be a starter, let alone a defensive leader, but he’s out there every Sunday making hits that sound like car crashes.
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What’s Next for the 12th Man in the Pros?
If you’re tracking the future of this program, the pipeline is getting wider. Under Mike Elko, the focus has shifted toward a more "pro-style" development. We’re seeing more defensive tackles like Nnamdi Madubuike (Ravens) and McKinnley Jackson (Bengals) becoming the "glue" players that win championships.
Madubuike is particularly interesting. He’s coming off another Pro Bowl year in 2024 where he notched 6.5 sacks from the interior. That’s hard to do. It shows that A&M is producing players with the technical refinement to handle NFL double-teams.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the Texas Aggies in the NFL, here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch the Bengals' D-Line: With both Shemar Stewart and McKinnley Jackson there, Cincinnati is essentially "A&M North." Their chemistry is noticeable.
- Keep an eye on the 2026 Free Agency: Von Miller is making a public push to return to Denver for one "last ride." If that happens, it’ll be one of the biggest sentimental stories in the league.
- Fantasy Football Tip: De’Von Achane’s usage rate is climbing. Even with injury risks, his yards-per-touch makes him a top-5 RB candidate for the 2026 season.
- Track the All-Pro Votes: Myles Garrett is on pace to become the most decorated defensive player in A&M history. One more first-team nod puts him in a category with only a handful of players in NFL history.
The "Aggie brand" in the NFL isn't just about the 12th Man tradition anymore. It’s about a specific type of athlete: long, explosive, and technically sound. Whether it's Mike Evans defying time or Myles Garrett rewriting the record books, the presence of College Station in the professional ranks is only getting louder.
To stay updated on current stats and roster moves, check out the official NFL personnel trackers or the "Aggies in the Pros" section on 12thMan.com. Most of these guys are in the prime of their careers, meaning the next three years could be the most dominant stretch for A&M alumni in league history.