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Texas Tech football: The most disappointing JUCO signees in Tech history

By Matthew Conner

LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 7: A Texas Tech Red Raiders helmet rest on the field during a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 7: A Texas Tech Red Raiders helmet rest on the field during a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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General view of Jones AT&T Stadium. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
General view of Jones AT&T Stadium. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Safety Josh Keys

Fans often raise expectations for players that are being recruited by blue-blood programs.  That was one reason that safety Josh Keys was so highly-anticipated when he came on board in 2014.  However, his time in the Hub City was a brief as a West Texas rainstorm.

From SEC country in Mississippi, the 6-foot-2, 191-pounder picked Tech over offers from the likes of Auburn, Georgia, Nebraska, Baylor, Arkansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, A&M, and West Virginia.   Rated the No. 53 JUCO player in the nation, he was the No. 13 JUCO prospect in Mississippi, home of one of the most talent-laden JUCO football pools in the nation.

But Keys’ Texas Tech career consisted of just 14 tackles in five games, all in 2013.  After that year, he decided to transfer to tiny West Georgia, a Division II program.

The reason Keys left was that he had two failed drug tests, something that the Kingsbury regime did not tolerate.  After the second positive test, he was kicked off the team.

Keys was supposed to be an answer at DB for the Red Raiders.  In fact, many were hoping that he would be the next coming of Dwayne Slay as he had a reputation for being a head-knocking defender just like the 2005 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

We will never know if he would have been able to match that type of success because drug issues forced his career into the ditch before it ever really got untracked.  Such is life when dabbling in the JUCO talent pool.

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