Texas Tech Recruiting: Players That Exceeded Expectations

Oct 11, 2014; Lubbock, TX, USA; A Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleader shows his support during the game with the West Virginia Mountaineers at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Adell Duckett

Looking at the all-time defensive statistics for Texas Tech, it is easy to find the name of Adell Duckett near the top of several lists. The DE/TE from Mineral Wells, TX was an afterthought for the name-brand schools in the Big 12. But Texas Tech redshirted Duckett in 2000 with the hopes of molding him into a defensive end. The project was successful.

Duckett sits at No. 2 on the career (28.5) and single-season (14) sack list at Tech. In 2003, he set a new school record for single-season tackles for loss with 24.5. In 2003 and 2004, Duckett was named second and first team All Big 12 respectively. He played in 49 games at Tech and complied 208 tackles with the majority (137) being solo tackles. Duckett’s athleticism allowed him to force six fumbles and intercept four passes returning two for touchdowns. The former two-star recruit became one of the all-time best defensive ends Tech has seen.

Duckett’s speed rush is on display in the clip below as he sacks future Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Aaron Rogers.

Tech fans have come to lust after the 4 or 5-star recruit and scoff when the Red Raiders sign a lowly 2-start player from some small town out in the sticks. However, dozens of players not on this list (Cody Davis, Cobly Whitlock, Ryan Aycock, Lyle Leong, Brandon Williams, Brandon Sharpe, Sadale Foster, and Kliff Kingsbury, just to name a few) have come to campus with little fan-fare only to become solid, if not all-conference players.

Stay tuned tomorrow, as we examine the fate of some highly rated players who did not live up to the hype, once again proving that star-ratings are an inexact science.