Texas Tech football alums earn opportunities in the NFL
After last week’s NFL Draft, here is a roundup of where former Texas Tech football players have landed.
Given that the 2018 Texas Tech football team featured only seven senior starters on either side of the ball, there did not figure to be a heavy Red Raider presence in last week’s NFL Draft. What’s more, it’s rare for any team that went just 5-7, as Tech did last fall, to produce multiple NFL draftees. After all, if Tech would have had more NFL talent, they likely would have won more than just five games.
Still, having only one player drafted is not what the Red Raiders had hoped to see. This was the eighth year since 2000 that Tech had one or fewer players drafted, something that needs to change in the Matt Wells era.
In 2017, Pat Mahomes was the only Red Raider taken when he went No. 10 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. Trading up to draft Mahomes proved to be a great move for the Chiefs as he won the NFL MVP last season, his first as a starting QB.
Running back Baron Batch was the lone Tech alum selected in 2011 when he went to Pittsburgh in the seventh round. The year prior, the only Red Raider taken was Jamar Wall, who went to the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round.
In 2006, the Cowboys took center E.J. Whitley in the seventh round and in 2002 the San Francisco 49ers selected defensive back Kevin Curtis in the fourth round. And in 2001, the first draft in the “Air Raid” era of Texas Tech football, defensive tackle Kris Kocurek was the lone Red Raider draftee when he went to Seattle in the seventh round. And in 2015, no Red Raider was selected at all.
But just because they had little impact on the NFL Draft, it does not mean last year’s Red Raiders can’t make an impact on Sundays. After all, numerous Tech alums have done well in the NFL after going undrafted.
Most notably was Wes Welker, who had an illustrious career after being undrafted in 2004. In his 13-year career, the trend-setting slot receiver amassed 9,924 yards and 50 touchdowns on 903 receptions.
Another former Texas Tech slot receiver, Danny Amendola, is still going strong despite not hearing his name called in the 2008 draft. In his ten years in the league, he’s caught 485 passes for 4,684 yards and 20 touchdowns while twice winning a Super Bowl title with New England.
Other Texas Tech football alums to have NFL careers after being undrafted free agents include safety Cody Davis, receiver Bradley Marquez, defensive lineman Kerry Hyder and inside receiver Cam Batson. So there’s reason to believe that some of last year’s Red Raiders will make their mark with an NFL team. Let’s take a look at where Texas Tech football players have landed as they begin their NFL careers.