With a program-high 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, head coach Mike Elko has transformed Texas A&M’s football program into a premier pipeline for young, up-and-coming talent. From Shemar Stewart to Chase Bisontis, the Aggies have built a recent reputation for producing NFL-caliber athletes along the line of scrimmage. 

What makes Elko’s program stand out from the crowd, is A&M’s ability to recruit both proven transfer talent and blue-chip high school prospects at an elite level. While most athletic departments excel in either the transfer portal or high school ranks, the Aggies have thrived in both under Elko.

When A&M embarks on its second-straight College Football Playoff campaign in 2026, the Aggies will rely on transfer additions such as Anto Saka and Ray Coney to hold down their defensive front seven. But besides a few immediate improvements here and there, Elko is building a self-sustaining NFL farm system in College Station.

Texas A&M Lands Five-Star Edge Zyron Forstall

After an official visit on June 12, Zyron Forstall rejected multiple offers from National Championship contenders such as Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State and Texas to join Elko’s roster in College Station.

As the No. 8-ranked Edge rusher in the 2027 class, Forstall was recruited from Bradenton, Florida, by Tony Jerod-Eddie and Elijah Robinson. 

Over the course of his sophomore season at New Orleans Jesuit, Forstall led the Blue Jays to a 7-5 record and a Louisiana Division I Select second-round playoff appearance, only to hit the road for IMG Academy in 2025. 

Forstall secured 28 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and five sacks, as a junior, participating in both the Under Armour All-America Game and Polynesian Bowl. 

At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, the Bradenton native brings elite speed and versatility to A&M’s defense, with a 0.9782 composite player rating according to 247Sports.

Though he won’t arrive in Aggieland until 2027, at the very least, Forstall’s commitment is another indication that Elko’s program is trending in the right direction.

Contender Brewing In College Station

Forstall will make an immediate impact on A&M’s defense from the moment he takes Kyle Field in 2027. With his size, talent and a few years of experience, the Bradenton native might just have what it takes to represent the Aggies at the next level. 

But in terms of A&M’s program as a whole, Forstall is more than just a defender — he’s another step towards the initial vision Elko outlined on his first day in Aggieland.

“We are going to build the premier football program in the country,” Elko said in his introductory press conference on Nov. 27, 2023. “We will become the absolute best version of ourself as quickly as possible, because the best version of Texas A&M football wins the national championship … but we also embrace who we are right now and where we need to work and … improve to get where we want to go.”

While the transfer portal remains a valuable tool for filling immediate gaps, Elko's blueprint has always centered on developing talent from within.

Only three years after being appointed as A&M’s leading man, the foundation of Elko’s program is starting to take shape. 

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