Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko is landing class of 2026 defensemen left and right, and Monday afternoon was no different. This time, the Aggies plucked a versatile talent right out of South Carolina's hands and added to a thorough defense while the Gamecocks lost an in-state recruit. The Aggies recruited four-star Tamarion Watkins as a linebacker while South Carolina sought him out as a safety.
Texas A&M Football Secures Four-Star Defenseman Tamarion Watkins Over South Carolina Gamecocks originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko is landing class of 2026 defensemen left and right, and Monday afternoon was no different.
This time, the Aggies plucked a versatile talent right out of South Carolina's hands and added to a thorough defense while the Gamecocks lost an in-state recruit.
The Aggies recruited four-star Tamarion Watkins as a linebacker while South Carolina sought him out as a safety.
The Rock Hill, S.C. native chose Texas A&M over Miami and Georgia as well, but Watkins checked them out of the competition as he neared his decision. It was a back-and-forth battle between Columbia and College Station for the final few weeks before making his announcement.
It was a shocking decision as the Gamecocks seemed the most likely to land Watkins. 247Sports Crystal Ball® Predictions unanimously pinned South Carolina as the home for the No. 29 safety's his collegiate career. Watkins is also 350th overall in the class of 2026 and the No. 8 recruit from his state.
He made his announcement inside Northwestern High School's auditorium, expressing his excitement about Texas A&M and also his high school senior season approaching. Watkins said that he's taking his senior year as a period to develop further and embrace the linebacker position before getting to Aggie Land.
“We are repeating — we do not rebuild, we reload — so we’re going back-to-back,” Watkins said in regards to his final season at Northwestern, according to The Herald.
Watkins is a major returning piece for the Trojans' defense. As a junior, he tallied 75 tackles, eight for loss, and averaging 5.4 tackles per game. He helped lead Northwestern to an undefeated season.
As for the Aggies, Watkins and the class' defensive depth will be key parts in Elko's efforts to reclaim Texas A&M's spot as a top ranked team in the NCAA.
The aggressive defense from this class is headlined by five-star Brandon Arrington. Edge rusher Tristian Givens and defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright are the other blue chip recruits to commit to Texas A&M. Watkins joins cornerback Victor Singleton, edge rushers Jordan Carter and Samu Moala, linebacker DaQuives Beck, and defensive lineman Jermaine Kinsler as Elko's four-star defensive recruits.
"The [Texas A&M] coaching staff is great," Watkins said. ". . . Elko has a great thing building up in Aggie Land, and I’m just ready to be a part of it.”
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
