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Texas Tech football: The strengths of the Red Raiders’ 2020 signing class

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Defensive Lineman Lonzell Gilmore #94, head coach Matt Wells, and defensive back Douglas Coleman III #3 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders wait in the tunnel before the college football game against the Iowa State Cyclones on October 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Defensive Lineman Lonzell Gilmore #94, head coach Matt Wells, and defensive back Douglas Coleman III #3 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders wait in the tunnel before the college football game against the Iowa State Cyclones on October 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Jones AT&T Stadium (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Jones AT&T Stadium (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Keeping local talent home

One major complaint people in West Texas have had about the Texas Tech football program for the better part of the last two decades is that the Red Raiders have stopped giving a shot to local products.  That’s something that none of the three head coaches in between Spike Dykes and Matt Wells have seemed to value as much as other coaches in program history did as recruiting became a state-wide and national endeavor.

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But Wells has decided to do everything he can to put a fence around West Texas and in 2020, he’s brought in quite the haul from west of Abilene.  That’s because he’s added four top targets from West Texas and when you add them to Philip Blidid from Portales N.M., they comprise the best local haul this program has had in recent memory.

Aside from Moore and Fouonji, Tech added another offensive weapon in Wellington, Texas TE John Holcomb.  He is the second player to come to Tech from his tiny hometown in the last two years joining 2019 OT Trevor Roberson.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder is also a sprinter for his track team proving that he is a very nimble athlete for his size.  That aspect of speed could make him a unique weapon in the passing game the likes of which we haven’t seen at the TE spot since Jace Amaro.  It’s not likely that he will have a 1,300-yard season like Amaro did in 2013 but he might be able to stretch the field and challenge defenses in ways we haven’t seen since the All-American TE left Tech early for the NFL seven years ago.

Holcomb is the No. 50 TE in the nation and No. 142 player in Texas.  He picked the Red Raiders over SMU, Indiana, Kansas, North Texas and others.

Not to be forgotten, this year’s QB signee comes from the good old 806.  Frienship product Donovan Smith just completed an impressive senior season in which he threw for 3,123 yards and 25 touchdowns while also rushing for 489 yards and 13 more scores.

It was his first year as a starting QB after he played receiver at nationally-known Bishop Gorman H.S. in Las Vegas.  He is the son of Tech running backs coach DeAndre Smith.

At 6-foot-4, 195-pounds, he could develop into a monster of a QB who is a true dual-threat option in the backfield.  Due to that size and athleticism, many are already drawing comparisons to Utah State QB Jordan Love who started for Matt Wells and David Yost in 2017-18.

This is the second straight class with heavy ties to West Texas.  Last year, the Red Raiders brought in Roberson, San Angelo QB Maverick McIvor, and Odessa OL Landon Peterson.   Hopefully, that’s a trend that continued to be a way of life for the Red Raiders.

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