It was a very humbling first year for Luke Braden as a walk-on for the Texas A&M football team last fall in a multitude of ways.
Braden earned a spot on the roster in the spring of 2024, worked his way through fall camp and suited up every home game. Braden went through every practice, went through every team meeting and has now seen what it takes from a wide-eyed freshman to a more experienced sophomore.
“Year one was good for me,” Braden said. “It was a learning curve filled with a bunch of adjusting. It was interesting to see how a college football program is run and to see the ins and outs. The time dedication was the most eye opening. You don’t have a lot of free time and learning the playbook was something else. It was always changing.”
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His mentality from fall camp last year to this year has also changed. Braden made the field in one play of one game against New Mexico State last year as a part of a walk-on kickoff return group. That was his first live action since his playing days at Stratford in 2021.
While that was a very cool experience being on Kyle Field, a dream of his since he was a little kid, his bar is now even higher.
The Aggies and head coach Mike Elko carry eight tight ends. That makes it extremely difficult for a scholarship player let alone a walk-on like Braden. So, his goal now is to make every rep in practice count and see if he can turn heads on a special team’s group.
“It was cool to be a part of getting to be on a kickoff team, but I’d like to see if I can get even more opportunities this year,” Braden said. “I don’t want just one play a year. The importance now is continuing to put in the work and trying to find a spot on the team. I want to find a place on the special teams wherever that is. I’m going to use fall camp to do that.”
There is that question of why not transfer. That’s the trendy thing. You don’t play at said school, so why not take your pads and go somewhere else. That’s not in the cards for Braden. Braden and his family have always loved Texas A&M and A&M is where Braden wants to be.
“I wasn’t a big-time recruit,” Braden said. “I know I could have played Division II. I wasn’t going to play football if it wasn’t at A&M. I love it here and I wanted to walk-on and give it a try, and I don’t have any regrets.’
Watching Braden put in the work and dedication is exactly what Stratford head coach Jonathan Murphy loves to see. Murphy says that sacrifice by Braden is what has always made him the player he is.
“Luke embodies everything about Stratford,” Murphy says. “He has the football knowledge and the work ethic. He has taken that and is now using it at a big-time level. Watching him at A&M is dream come true type stuff. Luke is one of those guys that grew up wearing the Aggie uniform and it’s been so awesome to follow him.”