Texas Tech football: 4-star 2022 target Kobie McKinzie decommits

Wednesday, Kobie McKenzie, one of the top players in the nation decommitted from the Texas Tech football program.

For a few months, the Texas Tech football program had reeled in one of the top defensive players in the nation.  But after Lubbock Cooper outside linebacker Kobie McKenzie decommitted on Wednesday, the Red Raiders are going to have to bait their hook once again and try to fish the best recruit West Texas has seen in decades out of some rather shark-infested waters.

The 6-foot-3, 227-pounder is rated by 247Sports’ composite rankings as a 4-star prospect and the No. 1 outside linebacker in the nation for the class of 2022.  He had committed to Tech in February but in recent months, some big names have come calling.

This summer, both Oklahoma and Texas A&M have extended offers and have hosted the high school sophomore on official visits.  Thus, his decision to reopen his recruitment should come as no surprise.

The good news is that Texas Tech remains squarely in the mix in what could be the most important recruiting battle of Matt Wells’ tenure in Lubbock.  On his social media pages, he said that Texas Tech remains a top school for him and that he has a great relationship with Wells and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson.

As a true freshman playing safety for the Pirates in 2018, McKenzie had 45 tackles, two sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and an interception.  And this year, he will spearhead a defense that most expect to be one of the best in West Texas for a team that has state title aspirations.

Currently rated by 247Sports as the No. 38 player in the nation, he could wind up being the highest-rated recruit to ever come to Texas Tech surpassing former defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko from Hawaii.

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"“Tech has always been a dream school and the coaches just made it feel right, especially Coach Wells–he’s the man–I can tell you right now that’s the guy I wanna play for in the future,” McKinzie told 247Sports shortly after committing. “And (Defensive Coordinator Keith) Patterson me and him had a great conversation and I loved everything about the visit.”"

Still, the lure of blue-blood programs is hard for any high school target to resist, no matter how close he may have grown up to another program.  And it appears that McKinzie wants to welcome all offers for the time being.

This is certainly a not cause for panic and in no way an indictment of Wells and his staff as recruiters.  In fact, it is a rather intelligent and well-measured decision by a young man who is about to have the college football world at his feet.

We don’t fault other local students for visiting colleges other than Texas Tech and should they decide that another is a fit for them, we congratulate them and wish them well.  Of course, when you throw the sports element into the equation, all rational thought and common sense is sent flying off into the ditch.

Certainly, this is a player that Tech desperately needs to land.  Wells isn’t going to back down in this fight and the fact that he’s already developed a strong bond with McKinzie can only work in Tech’s favor.

With Cooper playing just a few miles from Tech’s campus, you can bet that Wells, Patterson, Raider Red, The Masked Rider, and even the Saddle Tramp bell ringer will be constant fixtures on Cooper’s campus for the next three years.  They will fit in given that the Pirate’s school colors and fight song are the same as Tech’s.   Hopefully, those factors will help persuade the best Lubbock high school football recruit in memory to stay home.