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Texas Tech football: 4-star defensive tackle officially visits Lubbock

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 07: Running back Ta'Zhawn Henry #26 and head coach Matt Wells of Texas Tech stand in the tunnel before the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 07: Running back Ta'Zhawn Henry #26 and head coach Matt Wells of Texas Tech stand in the tunnel before the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Over the weekend, the Texas Tech football program hosted Joshua Ellison, a 4-star defensive tackle who could provide some tremendous help at a position of dire need.

In 2019, there’s no question that the Texas Tech football team needed more help along the interior of the defensive line.  To try to beef up that spot on the field, the Red Raiders have targeted Joshua Ellison a 4-star JUCO defensive tackle who took an official visit to Lubbock over the weekend.

Rated by 247Sports as the No. 2 JUCO defensive tackle in his class and the No. 3 JUCO player in Texas, the Blinn College prospect checks in at 6-foot-3, 295-pounds.  That would make him a candidate to play either nose guard or defensive end in Tech’s 3-3-5 scheme which values versatility among its individual members.

Originally signing with Texas A&M last year, the College Station native had to go the JUCO route as a true freshman this fall because he could not qualify academically.  Still, many believed that he would eventually return to this hometown university until he decomitted from the Aggies on December 3rd.  The fact that he still has three years of eligibility remaining also makes him particularly appealing to top programs.

The fact that he was in Lubbock so shortly after opening up his recruitment again has to be encouraging for Red Raider fans.  And while on campus in the South Plains, his Twitter feed indicated that he was impressed with what he saw from Matt Wells and Co.

https://twitter.com/ellisonjoshua5/status/1203750159773032449?s=20

But one potential fly in the ointment is that another Big 12 program has begun sniffing around, as is always to be expected when a 4-star DT is in play.  While he was in Lubbock for his visit, Ellison was officially offered by Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners on the same day that they captured their fifth-straight conference title.

He has already set up an official visit to Norman for this weekend so there’s going to be quite the competition for this prized target.  And it’s easy to see why.

"According to his 247Sports profile, he is a potential impact player on the inside:More from Wreck'Em RedTexas Tech football: Red Raider fans need to know about these MountaineersTexas Tech football: Red Raiders land first commit for class of 2025Texas Tech football: Why have the Red Raiders struggled on the road under McGuire?Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders can compete for a Big 12 titleTexas Tech football: Plenty of questions remain as conference play arrives“Good size. Frame length appears promising to the naked eye. Can fit more mass on frame at the next level. Aggressive, attacking interior defensive lineman with experience lining up along the front. Possibly could provide scheme versatility and position flex. Powerful punch at the point of attack. Often overwhelms high school competition. Shows penetrating playmaker traits. Strong tackler who can explode through the target.“Plays physical and motor runs high. Flashes impressive pursuit ability for a 285-pounder. Shows good awareness and gets his hands up in passing lanes. Provided outstanding production as a senior (121 tackles, 25 TFL). A bit high cut and can improve leverage consistency. Sometimes stands up as play develops and gets too high.“Get-off quickness comes and goes. Quicker off the ball when aligned inside than at end. Can improve body control and balance. Consistency with tackling technique is shaky. Needs to expand pass-rushing arsenal. At times rushes with a narrow base. Possesses the frame potential, intensity, and athleticism to become a strong contributor at the Power 5 level. Ceiling could rise to late-round NFL Draft potential.”"

In 2019, the Red Raiders finished just 125 nationally in total defense allowing 480.3 yards per game.  What’s more, they were gashed on the ground for 172.5 yards per game to rank 80th.  Much of that was due to the lack of depth inside where Tech often had a shortage of Big 12 caliber defensive tackles, especially as injuries mounted.

The good news is that the Red Raiders will bring back junior Nick McCann and redshirt freshman Jaylon Hutchings, two solid contributors from this fall.  Additionally, redshirt freshman John Scott III might be able to return next fall after missing all of 2019 recovering from a gunshot to the abdomen suffered at a Lubbock apartment complex pool party this summer.

This is not the first time Tech has tried to bring in a highly-rated JUCO DT to help bolster the team’s weakness in the middle of the d-line.  Last year, the Red Raiders hosted 4-star prospect Jakheem Green for a visit but could not pull him away from Nebraska, the school to which he had originally committed out of high school.

This year, the competition for the next big-time JUCO target is even tougher with OU considered Tech’s top competition after many believe that Ellison has soured a bit on the Aggies.  Hopefully, this year, Wells and his staff are able to close the deal and bring some more beef to the Red Raider defense.

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