In the Maroon and White Spring game, Mikhail made an early impression in front of the 12th Man at Kyle Field with his notable pick-six that was taken to the house off a pass from true freshman quarterback Helaman Causuga. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDropped into the zone coverage,\u201d Mikhail said. \u201cQB\u2019s eyes took me that way. Saw he was going to throw it. Thought about getting the PBU. He put a little air on the ball and pick-six.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the monumental plays like that one that make a difference in a game down the line, and it proves that he is disciplined and intentional in his efforts. <\/p>\n
And considering the new-found depth issues at the position after the injury to Daymion Sanford, his emergence could not have come at a better time. <\/p>\n
Maturity and Growth <\/p>\n
As of spring 2026, Mikhail is listed as a sophomore from Boniota High School and has had time to learn the system that head coach Mike Elko<\/a> & Co. run on defense. Even though Mikhail didn\u2019t see a ton of playing time in his freshman year, he had time to develop the simple skills that, over time, blossom. <\/p>\n In his first year in Aggieland, the La Verne, California, weapon racked up 16 tackles, six of which were solo, with 10 assists. He was a 2025 recruit who was a 4-star and recognized as a top 10 overall prospect in California by all three major outlets (247 Sports, Rivals, and ESPN). <\/p>\n While in high school, he earned numerous accolades, including being a three-time MaxPreps All-American, a two-time All-CIF, and a two-time CIF League Defensive MVP. He learned under his tough coaches, who pushed him to be his best, as he accumulated 446 tackles, 54 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 29 touchdowns. Not only that, Mikhail was a four-time varsity scholar-athlete and earned the Palomares League Outstanding Senior Award. <\/p>\n All of these achievements show that the 6-foot-2 tackling machine was disciplined and wanted to expand his skill set to help him down the road. It certainly did after learning under Elko\u2019s defensive scheme and getting valuable reps, like the one that made the highlight reel with the huge turnover.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a crucial part of the game,\u201d Mikhail said. \u201cYou win the turnover margin, it\u2019s a high percentage chance that you are winning the game.\u201d <\/p>\n He\u2019s not only focused on forcing turnovers but also on being intentional and showcasing the effort he’s put in. <\/p>\n \u201cI think the main thing this offseason was being intentional in the way I move, and the way I command the defense,\u201d Mikhail said. \u201cI think those are two points that really take a linebacker play, especially in the SEC, to the next level. I learned a lot from guys like York last year and how he commanded the defense, trying to be that voice and that presence out there.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly how he has grown and matured, and it is a perfect reason why he is going to be important for this program. <\/p>\n Sign up to our free newsletter <\/a>and follow us on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> for the latest news.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
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