Press Conference: Mike Elko discusses 2026 class on Signing Day

The following are live, paraphrased notes from Mike Elko’s Wednesday afternoon media availability:

Mike Elko

• Today is an exciting day around the country. It’s a special day. A lot of kids dream about it. Congrats to all those kids who got to enjoy it. From our perspective, we feel it's a really good class. What we were proud of was how strong and early the commitments were. It was steady. It’s great that all but one will be here for the spring semester.
   
• When you think about signing a class of this size, there is so much that goes into this thing. The ‘Thank yous' start with our coaching staff. I just think there is a willingness to do what's best for Texas A&M football. Next, Derek Miller does as good a job as anyone in the country of getting it together. He is a phenomenal leader and organizes our efforts. Our on-campus recruiting team does a phenomenal job when kids get here. They get a first-class experience. We have a huge scouting department. Identifying prospects and the right prospect, they never stop. Our recruiting and acquisitions team does a really good job of making sure logistics run properly. We have 26 students on staff who help in our office. The creative team plays a huge role. The academic people who support us go above and beyond. There are a lot of people who go into it, and I wanted all of them to be recognized.
   
• We talk about balance in the class. They are coming 10 states with nine kids to Texas. We are becoming a national brand. 12 on offense, 13 on defense. We have 10 kids still playing high school football.
   
• Helaman Casuga‍ was the first commit in the class. He came to summer camp when we got here. We fell in love with him. He has been a rock for us since he committed. He was 25-2 as a starter with over 5,000 yards and 55 touchdowns.
   
• KJ Edwards‍ is one of, if not the most talented, skill players in the state. He is the all-time leader in rushing at Carthage.
   
• Aaron Gregory‍ is a taller receiver in this class. He has a tremendous catch radius. He was just under 3,000 yards in his career.
   
• Mike Brown‍ is an Aggie legacy. He will leave his own mark.
   
• We got Jayden Warren‍ later in this class. His evolution has been great to watch. He is another difference maker.
   
• Madden Williams‍ is a multi-sport athlete. In his career, he had over 2,000 yards in an offense that shares the ball.
   
• Evan Jacobson‍ is a big, athletic tight end. He has an agreement with Bucky McMillan to go across the street and see what he can add there.
   
• Caleb Tafua‍ is from Long Beach. He is an elite receiver at tight end. He transferred high schools. That school was ineligible, so he had to play in AZ.
   
• Kaeden Johnson‍ played quarterback, but we project him as an athlete in our offense.
   
• Zaden Krempin‍ has a tremendous blend of athleticism and power. He comes from a phenomenal family.
   
• Avery Morcho‍ is tall, long and is a multi-sport letter winner.
   
• Samuel Roseborough‍ is a true inside kid we brought in. We added Hunter McKinney‍ from Lake Creek HS.
   
• Jermaine Kinsler‍ is from a big, long DL. He is another dual-sport kid. He suffered an injury and got him healthy here.
   
• Samu Moala‍ is a twitchy, edge player. He comes to add coverage versatility. Bryce Perry-Wright‍ is a big end.
   
• DaQuives Beck‍ is a teammate of Edwards. He is a run-and-hit LB with physical intentions. Tank King‍ is playing in Round 4 this week. He set the HS career tackle record.
   
• We added Storm Miller‍. A physical, dynamic playmaker. His brother was a four-year starter at OL at Clemson. 
   
• Tamarion Watkins‍ is a really athletic LB. He played safety and LB in HS. Projects as an OLB.
   
• Brandon Arrington‍ was the California Boys T&F Athlete of the Year. He was a two-way player on the football field. As a DB, not a lot of people threw his way.
   
• Chance Collins‍ is a talented, athletic safety. Cam Hamiel projects to come in and play nickel for us. He had four interceptions last year.
   
• Victor Singleton‍ has great movement skills. They are playing for the 4A state championship this weekend.
   
• Tylan Wilson‍ is the most imposing hitter. He is a basketball and baseball player. He will be a difference maker.
   
• Asher Murray‍ came to our summer kicker camp, and he was unbelievable that day. We added punter Waylon Peters‍. He was impressive last year and at camp.
   
• There is a balance. We were DT-heavy last year. This year, it goes the other way. Same thing at wideout. We added a couple more big bodies this year. You look at the two-year class cycle.
   
• Nowadays, you have an opportunity to shape your program however you want. You can make it transactional and transient. Relationships still matter. If you provide people the right value and right opportunity, you can build a culture people want to be a part of. It means a lot to me that people pick Texas A&M for more than just the dollar sign.
   
• It's critical to recruiting from Houston. We look in the Brazos Valley, and then you look in Houston. That’s where we start our efforts.
   
• The Collin Klein reports are not solid in any way, shape or form. The reports tend to precede the official notifications. When you hire good coaches, things like that will come. If we are doing it right, it's no different than players going to the NFL. You don't want an assistant to leave for other assistant positions. It is a tremendous opportunity for someone on our staff.
   
• The culture of it attracts those kids to your program. There is a lot of time on campus for these kids, not around these coaches. When you build your foundation, you have kids who want to be like that.
   
• Beck and Edwards make it easier from a visit standpoint. They are separate. We felt like both of them were elite players. They just happen to play for the same school. They were recruited as individuals.
   
• The expectation is that Klein would coach in the playoffs.
   
• Holes get left in rosters in transition. We have done a good job of balancing. 54-56 in the last two cycles. When the portal opens, we will hit immediate needs.
   
• Klein is a phenomenal person, a smart football coach and a competitive guy. I have learned a lot from him.
   
• There is a lot of media, and some of my colleagues act as if there is a new phenomenon that is happening. It is just now existing in college football. We broadstroke this thing way too much. To say, “This player or coach did something transcational. Everyone is.” No. I don’t chase money, but I wouldn't come here undervalued. There are more of those people who don’t chase value.
   
• If I became a free agent HC, I could make more money and get into an open bidding war. Our players could do the same. It doesn't make it right or make it the best thing for my family. We try to make sure everyone understands that.
   
• Every roster takes on a different demeanor. The nice thing about recruiting is that a lot of these kids know each other. A kid from California can be good friends with a kid from Texas via social media.
   
• Most understand that playing two sports is harder to do in the SEC. Most of them don’t expect to do so.
   
• Recruiting is a long cycle. It makes it easier to hold on the the class. When the 2027 and 2028 classes are looking at schools, that’s where the success we have had this year will pay off.
   
• We have alluded to this. As a football coach, it doesn't matter what we are ranked. Put a ball down. From a CEO standpoint, we are screaming for some clarity. What is the criterion we are utilizing to break ties? We have a higher SOS and SOR than teams with the same record as us. It's amazing how many want to say we have a poor schedule. We have these formulas created, and those numbers are in our favor. If you dive in, every analytic says we have played a hard schedule.
   
• It’s important to recruit on the West Coast. It’s the easiest SEC location to get to. Coaches have been out there a bit. I like that there is a natural draw to come from California to Texas.
   
• From an ideal standpoint, you try to bring in one quarterback a year.
   
• Do I think we deserve to host? Oh my gosh, yes. Do I think we will? I would never try to predict anything the committee does.
   
• I don’t really care what anyone else is doing, like Texas. The out-of-conference record speaks volumes.