Texas Tech football beginning to gain momentum on recruiting trail

As the summer’s most critical recruiting weekend nears, it is looking like the Texas Tech football program is picking up some much-needed momentum on the recruiting trail.

It may have taken longer than most Texas Tech football fans would have liked, but it appears that the Red Raiders are now beginning to pick up some momentum on the recruiting trail. Expecting a significant recruiting bump with new head coach Matt Wells in place, Tech fans have been surprised and somewhat frustrated by a perceived lack of progress towards putting together the 2020 signing class this spring.

With only two 3-star prospects verbally committed, Tech ranks last in the Big 12 class rankings according to 247Sports. That is quite alarming for a program that has seen its previous two classes finish second-to-last and last in the conference respectively.

But after what felt like an eternity with no real progress on the recruiting front, it is beginning to look like the leg work the new coaching staff has been doing since arriving in Lubbock is turning into tangible momentum. That’s because in the last week, two highly-regarded prospects have listed Texas Tech among their top choices.

Jalin Conyers, a 4-star tight end from Gruver, Texas (which is in the Panhandle about 100 miles north of Amarillo) released his top-6 last week and the Red Raiders made the cut. In addition, he is still considering Arizona State, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU and Ohio State. That is great company for Tech to keep but is also shows how highly-coveted Conyers is.

https://twitter.com/J_Conyers_2020/status/1132021145320992768

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder is rated by 247Sports as the No. 5 tight end in the nation and the No. 50 overall player in Texas. Last year, playing wide receiver, he had an impressive campaign with 61 receptions for 1,225 yards and 19 touchdowns, which would indicate that he could be a tremendous weapon in the Red Raiders’ passing attack.

This is the type of West Texas product that Tech desperately needs to land. There are not nearly as many players of this caliber coming out of West Texas as there are in other recruiting areas so bringing in West Texas players has to be a key for the program, especially ones as highly-rated as Conyers.

Decades ago, it was easier for Tech to keep West Texas players close to home because they were often overlooked by schools farther way. But because the age of the internet and social media has made recruiting nationally far easier for out-of-state programs, Tech is having to fend off more and more suitors for local talent. And that is the case with Conyers, who has only one Texas school among his top-6.

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It will be key for Tech to land a quality tight end in this class because that position is rather thin right now given that Tech has only begun to prioritize the tight end position since Wells’ arrival. Currently, Tech has three tight ends on the roster but they have a combined three career receptions.

In the 2019 signing class, Wells did bring in JUCO TE Travis Koontz and true freshman Simon Gonzalez to help add some potential playmakers to the mix. However, Koontz will be a senior when Conyers would potentially arrive on campus so there is a need for Tech to continue to build up the depth behind him.

Another player that the Red Raiders have made the cut for is 3-star wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk from Lufkin, Texas. Tuesday, the 3-star prospect listed Tech among his top four schools along with Arkansas, Arizona and Baylor.

Rated as the No. 70 WR in the nation and No. 55 overall player in Texas, Polk was reportedly in attendance for the Arkansas spring game in early April. Since then, he has received his offer from Texas Tech and as he continues to see his stock soar (he is close to being a 4-star prospect on 247Sports and is already rated as such by other scouting sites) the competition for his services will continue to ramp up.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder caught 40 passes for 667 yards and six touchdowns last year. He has the size and speed that teams covet and could be the next in the long line of standout Red Raider wide receivers.

One other player to watch is Schertz, TX safety Mason Chambers. The 6-foot, 190-pound 3-star safety recently reported an offer from the Red Raiders to go along with offers from Iowa State, Houston, SMU and as many as 13 other programs. Rated the No. 65 safety in the country and the No. 140 player in Texas, Chambers played in five games as a sophomore helping his team advance to the playoffs.

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As we continue to approach the critical weekend of June 21-23, when the Red Raiders will be hosting what they hope to be dozens of recruits, we should see Wells and his staff continue to reach out to more of the top 2020 prospects in Texas and around the region. As that happens, some signifiant dominos should begin to fall and the Texas Tech recruiting class will start to take shape. It is going to be a very interesting summer as we see just how well this new coaching staff can recruit to Lubbock.

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