Former Texas A&M star KC Concepcion picked by Cleveland Browns in first round of NFL Draft
The first former Texas A&M football player is officially off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. Wide receiver KC Concepcion received that honor Thursday night, going to the Cleveland Browns in the first round at 24th overall. He’s the first Aggie receiver to be picked in the first round since Mike Evans in 2014.
In his lone season at A&M, Concepcion made quite the impact. The NC State transfer received consensus All-American honors as an all-purpose player. He also won the Paul Hornung Award – which annually goes to the most versatile college player – and picked up first-team All-SEC accolades as a receiver, all-purpose player and punt returner. When declaring for the NFL Draft, the Charlotte (N.C.) Chambers product opted to forgo his final year of college eligibility.
Through 13 games last fall, Concepcion caught 61 passes for 919 yards and nine touchdowns while turning 10 carries into 75 yards and a score, and compiling an average of 18.2 yards per punt return and two punt return touchdowns. When combining his three seasons, including two at NC State, Concepcion tallied 3,195 all-purpose yards, 2,218 receiving yards, 505 punt return yards, 431 rushing yards and 31 total touchdowns through 38 games.
Dane Brugler, an NFL Draft analyst for The Athletic, spoke with Aggie Yell reporter Carter Karels last December and expressed confidence around Concepcion being a first-round pick.
“The NFL, they want explosive weapons, and that’s what Concepcion can be, both as a receiver and as a return man,” Brugler said. “His release package, his ability to separate in his routes and then what he can do after the catch. That is somebody who is going to be targeted by a lot of teams just because of what he can bring to your offense – work inside, outside. I’d be surprised if he’s not a first-round pick.”
Below is what Pro Football Focus wrote about Concepcion:
Concepcion is a versatile athlete who has found success in the slot, out wide and even in the backfield, though his best fit at the next level is likely as a hybrid Z or slot receiver. He excels in the quick game, where his yards-after-the-catch ability can be a primary strength.
Partly because of Concepcion, the Aggies put together a strong 2025 season. They made the College Football Playoff for the first time ever and finished tied with the second-most victories in program history, compiling an 11-2 overall record. Their season ended with a 10-3 home loss to Miami in the first round of the CFP.
Concepcion also could help A&M make history in the three-day NFL Draft, which is set to go through Saturday in Pittsburgh. The Aggies might surpass their record of 10 selections – which came in 1976 when the draft lasted 17 rounds – and seven picks since the format changed to seven rounds in 1994. They set a program record in NFL Scouting Combine invites this year, totaling a nation-leading 13 in February.
Throughout the NFL Draft, stay tuned at Aggie Yell for more news and analysis regarding all the former A&M players who are selected.