Texas Tech football lands its top 2021 QB target Behren Morton

Tuesday, the Texas Tech football program received a verbal commitment from its top QB target in the class of 2021, Behren Morton of Eastland.

When Matt Wells arrived to take over the Texas Tech football program, he made it a point to prioritize West Texas in all facets of the program, but especially on the recruiting trail. Tuesday, he landed one of the top prospects in the state who, though he isn’t technically a West Texas prospect anymore, he has always had roots on top of the Caprock.

2021 QB Behren Morton from Eastland, Texas has become the second player in his class to verbally commit to the Red Raiders. He made his decision known on Twitter just days after taking an official visit to Baylor during which he saw the Red Raiders and the Bears play a double-OT thriller.

A 4-star prospect according to the 247Sports composite rankings, the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is the No. 40 player in Texas and the No. 7 dual-threat QB in the nation in his class. In addition to Tech and Baylor, he holds offers from TCU, Texas A&M, USC, Washington State, Wisconsin, Kansas, and SMU among others.

But it was likely his ties to Lubbock that made him want to be a Red Raider. Morton spent eight years living in the Hub City while his father, James, was the head coach at Monterey High School. That’s what made most believe that Tech always had the inside track in this race and what likely tipped the scales in Matt Wells’ favor.

"“I mean to get a chance to go play where you grew up. It’s a big deal,” Morton told Inside the Red Raiders. “I’m so glad God has put me in this opportunity.”"

This is a crucial win for Wells despite the fact that even the 2020 class is still far from complete. That’s because it seems like recruiting classes don’t really start to come together until the QB is in place. Whether that is because the coaches spend so much time prioritizing the position that they don’t go as heavy after others until the QB spot is settled or because other players seem to be drawn to classes with top QBs in them, it seems that landing the QB is the first major domino to fall in most quality classes.

More from Wreck'Em Red

Now, Tech can start to use Morton as a selling-point to the top offensive players in the state when trying to build the class of 2021. That’s certain to help Wells put together the type of class this program desperately needs to sign.

We are starting to get a glimpse that maybe Wells is going to be an effective recruiter. After all, his upbeat and intense personality has already won over a huge swath of the fan base, many of whom were already on board with him after hearing him speak at his introductory press conference or at one of the many events he attended for boosters and fans around the state.

He also appears able to connect with recruits. His 2020 class is on track to be far better than the last three that the program has landed. Despite not being anywhere close to complete, the current class sits at No. 44 nationally. That comes after each of the last two Tech classes ranked outside the top 60 in the country.

The 2020 class is only bound to rise as more players are added (with only 17 currently on board, Tech could add as many as eight more prospects) and when a player like 2-star QB Donovan Smith receives what is certain to be a bump in his rating. In his first year playing high school QB, the Friendship product and son of Red Raider running backs coach DeAndre Smith is going to see his stock rise given that he is putting up some impressive stats with the Tigers.

Next. 3-star DB Nate Floyd comitts. dark

Also, consider what the Texas Tech QB room could look like in the fall of 2021. If there is no player attrition (which is not a safe bet), Wells could have Alan Bowman, Maverick McIvor, Smith and Morton all on board at the QB spot. Considering how the Red Raiders have been bitten by a lack of QB depth in each of the past two years, that’s a luxury we should not take for granted.

Home/Texas Tech Football Recruiting