Friday, JaTravis McCloud, a 3-star defensive back from Tulsa, Oklahoma reported that he had received a scholarship offer from the Texas Tech football program.
In its continuing search to add defensive backs to the 2019 recruiting class, the Texas Tech football program is looking to Matt Wells’ home state. Friday, Tulsa, Oklahoma defensive back JaTravis McCloud reported via Twitter that he has received an offer from the Red Raiders.
According to the recruiting website 247Sports.com, McCloud is a 3-star prospect. But the 6-foot-tall, 170-pounder has only a handful of offers. In addition to his offer from the Red Raiders, he holds offers from three non Power 5 programs in Army, Rice and Stephen F. Austin.
But time is quickly running out on the 2019 recruiting class as the traditional national signing day is set to arrive on February 6th. With only 25 days until then and the talent pool having been largely picked over as the majority of prospects signed during December’s early signing window, the Red Raiders may have no choice but to take a flyer on a prospect like McCloud.
247Sports reports that he runs a 4.56-second 40-yard-dash, which is by no means elite and might make him a potential safety at the collegiate level. Tech needs to add some depth at safety after losing three seniors at that position this year including Jah’Shawn Johnson and Vaughnte Dorsey as well as backup John Bonney who saw plenty of action in the defensive backfield.
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As the No. 27 player in Oklahoma, McCloud is far from a charity case. He has the size that Tech needs to add at defensive back, especially if he plays corner where Tech struggled against large receivers such as Texas’ Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler (both of whom have declared their intentions to forego their senior seasons for the NFL…thankfully).
As a whole, Texas Tech must find a way to improve its pass defense in 2019. Ranking second-to-last in the nation, Tech allowed over 288 yards per game through the air.
Therefore, as the recruiting dead period has come to an end this week, there has been a conscious effort to target defensive backs. Thursday, DeQuan Watts, received an offer from the Red Raiders who have only one DB currently committed, 3-star corner Alex Hogan from Houston.
Given McCloud’s relatively small and unimpressive offer list, there has to be some optimism in the Red Raiders’ chances of landing this prospect from Oklahoma…or as Matt Wells referred to it during his introductory press conference, “that state up north.”