The Texas A&M Aggies have scored big in the special teams department.
Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images After a few seasons where kicking has been a downright liability for Texas A&M, expect the 2027 season to be a stark improvement for the Aggies.that Tomball kicker/punter Andres Von Der Meden had committed to the Maroon and White, making that 20 verbal commitments now for Mike Elko and his team.
The top option at kicker according to Kohl's Kicking Camps, Von Der Meden decided to go with the Aggies despite offers from schools such as Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Texas Tech. Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field.
| Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Von Der Meden, who is going into his senior year at Tomball High School in Tomball, TX, is currently ranked fifth amongst the kickers in the 2027 class according toand hopes to provide Elko and the Aggies with a more stable kicking game than they have seen in recent years, as the special teams personnel has proven his ability to connect on field goal attempts from over 60 yards already.
The Texas A&M recruiting class of 2027 has picked up a massive amount of steam as of late, with No. 1-ranked offensive tackle Mark Matthews also announcing that he would be taking his football talents to College Station last month, one of five five-star recruits landed by the "Fightin' Farmers.
"Last year, Elko went back and forth between senior kickers Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel, despite claiming that Zirkel, a transfer from the Georgia Bulldogs, had won the job from Bond by a "wide margin" during a "phenomenal" spring. Unfortunately, Zirkel would suffer an injury in A&M's win over the Auburn Tigers, and Bond would resume his starting role.
Even when Zirkel returned, it was a pinball between the two week in and week out from Mike Elko based on who he trusted more. Even after Bond had missed two field goals in the first half of Texas A&M's monumental comeback over the South Carolina, Elko still remained adamant that Bond was the man for the Aggies.
Bond would continue to start the final few games of the season until A&M's loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff, after which both Bond and Zirkel graduated. Illinois transfer David Olano is expected to be the man for field goals and extra points in the 2026 season. Aaron Raley is a credentialed writer covering the Texas A&M Aggies for On SI, joining the team on May 27, 2024.
Born and raised in Northeast Texas, Aaron earned a degree from Texas A&M University in journalism, with minors in history and sports management. Aaron’s writing abilities are driven by his love and passion for various sports, both at the collegiate and professional levels, as well as his experience in playing sports, especially baseball and football.
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