Texas A&M's 2026 season won't be remembered kindly by the Aggie fan base, and while this article was written before A&M's road test against No. 21 South Carolina, win or lose, the best the Aggies can finish this season is 8-4, while a 4-8 is in the cards, and more likely than not, based on how this team has performed since the start of SEC play.
Third-year coach Mike Elko will have his hands full, especially if he makes drastic changes to the coaching staff while trying to retain a long list of current freshmen and second-year players who could be tempted to enter the transfer portal, likely including former four-star defensive tackle Landon Rink.
Among all the freshman defenders, Landon Rink has earned his playing time, appearing in all eight
games this season, playing 158 snaps, and recording 14 tackles and his first career sack. Even after landing several veteran transfer defensive linemen, Rink's high motor and physical play have made him invaluable for now and the future.
According to Pro Football Network analyst Cam Mellor, Landon Rink is the fifth-highest-ranked freshman defensive lineman with an 81.3 grade, which nearly matches his Pro Football Focus defensive grade (78.8) and run defense grade (81.9), further proving how well the young defender has performed.
Amid all the disappointment, Landon Rink, Bryce Perry-Wright, and Tristian Givens are three freshman defensive linemen who Mike Elko must secure for 2027 and beyond.
Our @PFN365 highest-graded DT underclassmen:
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) November 6, 2026
Xavier Lewis, North Carolina: 87.5
Donta Simpson, Missouri: 87.4
Deuce Geralds, LSU: 85.1
Nissi Ogbebor, Syracuse: 82.6
Landon Rink, Texas A&M: 81.3
Malik Autry, Auburn: 81.0
Blake Smythe, Indiana: 80.9
Kadear Dembele, Wake Forest:… pic.twitter.com/4Eo90G0t3E
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: PFN ranks Texas A&M newcomer as fifth highest-graded freshman DT
