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Looking Back At Texas Tech First Round Draft Picks

By Matthew Conner

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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NORMAN, OK – NOVEMBER 22: Wide receiver Michael Crabtree
NORMAN, OK – NOVEMBER 22: Wide receiver Michael Crabtree /

Michael Crabtree – Wide Receiver

The longest gap between Texas Tech first round picks ended when wide receiver Michael Crabtree was taken with the No. 10 overall pick in 2009 by San Francisco, 26 years after Gabe Rivera was selected.  And like Rivera, it could be argued that no player at Texas Tech has ever been more talented than Michael Crabtree.

The Dallas native spent only two years at Texas Tech but left school as the team’s all-time leader in single-season receptions (134) single-season receiving yards (1,962), career receiving yards (3,127), single-season touchdown receptions (22) and career touchdown receptions (41).  He was also the 2007 and 2008 winner of the Biletnikoff Award.

In his nine-year NFL career, Crabtree has 579 receptions for 6,870 yards and 51 touchdowns while playing for San Francisco and Oakland before signing with Baltimore this offseason.  But no matter what he accomplishes in the NFL, Crabtree will forever be a Texas Tech legend for one singular moment.

In 2008, his touchdown catch with seven seconds to play against No. 1 Texas propelled Texas Tech to the 500th win in program history and the No. 2 ranking in the nation.  It is the most definitive play in Red Raider football history and one of the most memorable college football plays of all-time.

At Texas Tech, Crabtree averaged an amazing 8.8 receptions, 120 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game.  He was eventually passed by Jakeem Grant for career receiving yards in 2015.  Grant finished with 159 more yards but did so in 22 more games.  Grant averaged only 67 yards per game, approximately half of Crabtree put up each week.

Michael Crabtree will one day have his name in the Texas Tech ring of honor.  No player has more personified the modern era of the program and his greatest moment will forever be the high point of Texas Tech football for a generation of fans.

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