Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 50-0vs Missouri State | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 48-20vs Arizona State | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#5
DJ Hicks
Senior defensive tackle on Texas A&M's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 293 lb · Katy, TX · Paetow
CFB Index 78 · #42 of 330 interior linemenLow confidenceReturning to Texas A&M for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
0.5 TFL · 3 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Arizona State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive tackle on Texas A&M's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 5-star recruit to Texas A&M in 2023.
DJ Hicks
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Four seasons at Texas A&M, two different head coaches: Elijah Robinson and Mike Elko. One game to point at: 2 tackles against Missouri State — Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20236 games
- Signed with Texas A&M5-star out of Katy Paetow
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★★
CFB
College
Texas A&M
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Badges
- Top-10 Recruit
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Elijah Robinson
Texas A&M
Coaching transition mid-career: Elijah Robinson → Mike Elko. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Texas A&M7-6HC: Elijah Robinson · Balanced
2024Texas A&M8-5HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
2025Texas A&M11-2HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
2026Texas A&M2-0HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceSustained Ascent
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.2 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Elko
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
78 · #42 of 330 interior linemen
Former five-star. Now #42 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #6 of 13 SEC DTs
How the All-SEC estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 48–20
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Texas A&M
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive tackle · Texas A&M
Returning around him
- 10 Texas A&M players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (19 in / 21 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Texas A&M · Last season: 11-2 (AP #7) · Talent rank #7 · 2026 recruiting class #10
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to James Smith’s 2025 season.
Matches James on
Class year
Height
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jalen Carter's junior season at Georgia (2022).
91%match
Consensus All-AmericanNFL Rd 1 · Pk 9
Matches Jalen on
Class year
Height
Hurry rate
Player DNA
Players who play like DJ Hicks
Background
2024 (SOPHOMORE): Played in all 13 games, making the start in the Las Vegas Bowl ... Was in on three tackles in the win over McNeese ... Had a solo sack for a 3-yard loss in the win over Missouri ... Made three tackles and was in on a sack in the win over LSU ... Had a pair of tackles, including...
The defensive line · Texas A&M
- #17Ryan Henderson9 tackles for loss · 2025
- #18T.J. Searcy6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5DJ Hicks6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #14Anto Saka4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Marco Jones3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
15 more on the roster · Texas A&M team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology