Texas A&M transfer LB looks like a 'home run' addition

Among Texas A&M's 17 transfer portal additions this offseason, it's fair to say that former Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Horton might be the most important player to join the 2026 roster, but after senior linebacker Daymion Sanford sustained a lower-body injury that could keep him sidelined during the first half of the 2026 season, Tulsa transfer LB Ray Coney has quickly become equally vital. Starting his college career at East Tennessee State, Coney's sideline-to-sideline athleticism and instincts led to Tulsa offering the Ohio native, where he would go on to record a team-high 128 tackles, 41 solo tackles, two sacks, and two pass deflections during his one and only season with the Golden Hurricanes. After three years as a starting linebacker, Taurean York declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Texas A&M was in dire need of a veteran starter with more size to help fix the late-season run defense issue, and while Coney wasn't the most sought-after linebacker in the transfer portal, his 6'2", 240-pound frame and impressive production were too good to pass up. Per Pro Football Focus, Coney earned elite run defense (86. 9) and pass rush (75.

2) grades, and while coaching may or may not consider PFF grades when scouting transfer players, his ability to consistently stop the run will help sophomore linebacker Noah Mikhail reach his full potential without being depended on to pick up the slack due to Daymion Sanford's absence. In full agreement with 247Sports writer Tony Catalina's assessment, Coney's performance this spring was off to a slow start, but he finished looking like the program's next starting middle linebacker, minus cleaning up his eyes in coverage. I really think Texas A&M hit a home run with the addition of LB Ray Coney.

His film at Tulsa was stellar. He’s super athletic, FBIQ off the charts and truly played sideline to sideline. Really saw it start to click for him in the spring too.