Aggies' Coach Mike Elko Already Has His Fingerprint All Over The New-Look Texas A&M Defense

The NCAA transfer portal had been kind to the Aggies thus far.

The transfer portal giveth, and the transfer portal taketh away.

If that's not a saying then it should be. It's what every program is dealing with as we are fully entrenched in the new era of college football.

As new head coach Mike Elko continues to build his program from the ashes of what was once Jimbo Fisher's "masterpiece," he continues to use the transfer portal to add talent.

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Since Nov. 27 when Elko took over as coach, he and his staff have added 22 players from the transfer portal, including four important pieces on the defensive line.

A&M incurred significant losses on defense after the firing of Fisher, and Elko is diligently working to replace them. After former five-star recruit Walter Nolen bolted for Ole Miss, Elko landed former Big Ten sack leader, Nic Sourton who was formerly with Purdue.

Other additions include Bowling Green's Cashius Howell and Marshall's Elijah Alston, who committed to A&M over Georgia in the portal but seems to now be reconsidering. Wisconsin's Rodas Johnson is also coming to College Station, giving Elko and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman several options for rushing the passer.

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All of these veterans should help younger players who remain like Malick Sylla and Rylan Kennedy, and we all await the decision of defensive tackle Shemar Turner - will he remain at A&M or enter the NFL Draft?

Elko has already re-tooled the entire defensive line in just a short time. The question is, how will that unit gel on the field when play begins?