As we gear up for the 2026 football season, Aggies Wire is breaking down nearly every player on the Texas A&M roster. Throughout the preseason, each profile will highlight a player's background, recruiting rankings out of high school, and projected role under head coach Mike Elko.
Texas A&M's run defense left plenty to be desired at times last season, and just as Elko made it a priority to overhaul the secondary with length and speed, he approached the linebacker room with the same intentionality. The staff has done a strong job building a youthful foundation, but they needed a veteran presence who could step in and stabilize the unit immediately. Enter senior Tulsa transfer Ray Coney.
Coney's importance grew even further once projected starter Daymion Sanford suffered a lower‑body injury during the Maroon & White Spring Game, sidelining him for an unspecified portion of the 2026 campaign. In his lone season at Tulsa, Coney was one of the most productive linebackers in the American Conference, recording 129 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. His breakout year earned him 2025 American All‑Conference First Team honors, 2025 Phil Steele's American Conference First Team recognition, and a spot on the 2025 East‑West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List.
There's real optimism inside the program about what Coney can become in Elko's system, and the Aggies will need that development to materialize quickly as they search for his running mate until Sanford returns to the lineup.
Hometown: Fairfield, Ohio
#coney #season #texas
Texas A&M's run defense left plenty to be desired at times last season, and just as Elko made it a priority to overhaul the secondary with length and speed, he approached the linebacker room with the same intentionality. The staff has done a strong job building a youthful foundation, but they needed a veteran presence who could step in and stabilize the unit immediately. Enter senior Tulsa transfer Ray Coney.
Coney's importance grew even further once projected starter Daymion Sanford suffered a lower‑body injury during the Maroon & White Spring Game, sidelining him for an unspecified portion of the 2026 campaign. In his lone season at Tulsa, Coney was one of the most productive linebackers in the American Conference, recording 129 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. His breakout year earned him 2025 American All‑Conference First Team honors, 2025 Phil Steele's American Conference First Team recognition, and a spot on the 2025 East‑West Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List.
There's real optimism inside the program about what Coney can become in Elko's system, and the Aggies will need that development to materialize quickly as they search for his running mate until Sanford returns to the lineup.
Hometown: Fairfield, Ohio
#coney #season #texas
2 months ago
