August 20, 2026
Missouri, Texas A&M Lead SEC Representation on 2026 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Teams
Eight players from Missouri and Texas A&M earned spots on the preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Teams announced Wednesday.
The SEC released its 2026 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Teams on Wednesday, with Missouri and Texas A&M each placing four players on the annual list as both programs look to build on strong 2025 campaigns.
Missouri's headliners are running back Ahmad Hardy and offensive tackle Cayden Green, both named to the first team. Hardy, a first-team All-American, set a Mizzou record with 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns last season, recording seven 100-yard games and becoming just the sixth player in SEC history to rush for 300 yards in a single game. He forced 97 missed tackles and produced 71.9 percent of his rushing yards after contact. Green, a Lee's Summit native entering his third season with the Tigers, earned first-team All-SEC honors a year ago and allowed just two sacks in 362 pass attempts while helping pave the way for the nation's eighth-ranked rushing offense at 2,968 yards.
Long snapper Brett Le Blanc earned second-team recognition for Missouri on the special teams side, while Auburn transfer linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. claimed a third-team selection. Woodyard Jr. spent four seasons at Auburn and ranked second on the team with 67 total tackles in 2025-26, earning first-team All-SEC honors from Pro Football Focus. He is expected to be a key piece of Missouri's new-look defense.
Four Aggies Recognized Across Offense, Defense, and Special Teams
Texas A&M placed junior wide receiver Mario Craver, senior defensive tackle DJ Hicks, senior center Mark Nabou, and junior wide receiver Terry Bussey on the preseason teams. Craver is the lone Aggie first-team selection, earning the nod at both wide receiver and all-purpose player after hauling in a career-high 59 receptions for 917 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Nabou carries particular significance for the Aggies' offense heading into 2026. He is the only returning starting offensive lineman on a line that will feature four new starters, including transfer portal additions at both tackle and guard. Texas A&M enters the season following a year in which a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, and third-year coach Mike Elko responded by adding 17 transfer portal commitments while retaining 65 percent of his 2025 roster.
Missouri opens its season on September 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Texas A&M will look to return to the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive year, with redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed expected to build on his first full starting season, in which he threw for 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
