The X Factors: DT Tyler Onyedim
In this series, we’re looking at 10 players who could have a major impact on the success or failure of the 2025 Texas A&M football team. Some are starters, some aren’t — but they’re certainly not getting the attention they deserve.
The X Factors series starts with defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim, a transfer from Iowa State.
Class: Senior
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 295 pounds
2024 stats: 33 tackles, 3 tackles for loss in 13 games
Why he’s so important: If you look at Texas A&M’s depth chart at defensive tackle, there’s a redshirt senior (Albert Regis), a junior (DJ Hicks), a redshirt freshman and three true freshmen — and Onyedim in between.
Right now, the Aggies have a clear top three at the position in Regis, Hicks and Onyedim, so he is an injury away from starting (if he does not anyway). At Iowa State, he showed the ability to be quick off the snap, shed blockers and stand up against the run. He had two sacks along with his 42 tackles in 2023 when he was honorable mention All-Big 12 and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman said during his press conference earlier this week that Onyedim has shown promise as a pass rusher.
It’s vital that the Aggies have a bunch of capable defensive tackles, and Onyedim is the most experienced of the non-starters by a wide margin. They certainly want someone who can hold up against the run, a problem for the entire line last year. At Iowa State, Onyedim showed that he could hold his own in the interior against opposing running backs, which made him all the more appealing to A&M.
In college football, the numbers game is always tough as coaches try to balance veterans with the next generation of potential starters. As a senior, Onyedim can serve as a key piece of the puzzle this year and give the younger players more time to develop.
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