Loia Valade brings SEC-ready size, versatility, and speed to Texas A&M’s secondary
Loia Valade enters Texas A&M in the 2026 season as a reclassified freshman cornerback with college-ready size at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, plus the versatility to help at multiple spots in the secondary. In his 2025 high-school season, he produced 21 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 29 catches for 456 yards and 5 touchdowns, showing two-way playmaking and ball skills. He was rated a consensus three-star and ranked among the top defensive backs nationally, with 247Sports listing him as the No. 60 safety in the 2027 class before the reclassification. The fit is interesting: athletic, competitive, and still developing, but clearly a high-upside depth add for the Aggies.
