Aggies' 4-Star LB Noah Mikhail on Decision to Come to Texas A&M: 'I Felt Like It Was Home'

The Texas A&M Aggies will welcome in four-star linebacker Noah Mikhail to College Station next season, and safe to say, coach Mike Elko and company are excited for his arrival.

Nov 25, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko looks on before the first half of the game against Pittsburgh Panthers at Wallace Wade Stadium. / Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports

Re-finding a groove isn't an easy task for a program fresh off of firing its coach and losing its most recent bowl game, but the Texas A&M Aggies will have to face that challenge.

With new head coach Mike Elko — a former Aggies defensive coordinator — at the helm of the program, the task remains the same, but the road is harder. Elko is entering his first year in Aggieland with the same expectations as his title-winning predecessor, but much less experience.

Considering the difficulty that lies ahead of him in competing in the SEC, recruits of any kind are good news for a program. What makes them better is when they bring the level of talent that Noah Mikhail does.

And despite losing four-star edge Kamauryn Morgan to Baylor, Mikhail will still be a big asset for the Aggies next season after announcing his commitment to Texas A&M last Tuesday.

“I think it was a big sigh of relief at first,” the linebacker said of making his college decision. “I’ve been blessed to be in the process for about three years now, so I think it was a big relief to kind of know where I’m going and start working toward my next goal."

Noah Mikhail with Mike Elko /

When deciding between the Aggies, USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, Mikhail gave all three a "similar" rating in terms of football program. All three schools have been in the mix of contention over the last few years and all have resources capable of making them successful.

But off the field was also a factor. That's where College Station pulled ahead.

“There was an opportunity at all three, development at all three, and great coaching staffs at all three,” Mikhail said. “But I think what really separated A&M, in the long run, was it was where I felt comfortable and where I felt like it was home. You’ve got to be happy to strive, and I think at A&M that’s where I’m happy and that’s where I feel like I’m going to strive the most."

So, Mikhail will be calling Aggieland home as he enters the next step of his football career. He'll come in hoping to help the Aggies reach the newly expanded College Football Playoff and develop into a strong talent in the SEC.

Safe to say, Elko and company are looking forward to his arrival.

“Coach Elko and Coach Bateman, I put them on a three-way merged call, and they were ecstatic,” Mikhail said of his new coaches. “We built that relationship just in the past few months because they had just gotten there. I really felt like I could trust them and they were really excited about that.”