Texas Tech football: 3 Red Raiders that could be first-team All-Big 12

Left guard Weston Wright

While no one would be surprised if Anderson is a first-team performer this year given that he’s a sure-fire NFL draft pick, don’t overlook the other two returners along the o-line, Weston Wright and Dawson Deaton.

I initially thought about putting Deaton on this list after he had a stupendous first season as a starting center in 2019.  But what will likely keep him from being the first-team center this year is the presence of OU center Creed Humphrey, who is considered the best in the nation.

Perhaps Deaton will be a first-team selection in 2021 with Humphrey likely in the NFL but this year could be the year Wright gets the recognition as a first-team All-Big 12 player.  After all, he performed remarkably well as a redshirt freshman last year.

When Anderson went down for the season following the Oklahoma game, Wright, a former high school tackle, was pressed into action in Anderson’s place and the offense hardly missed a beat.

Last year’s line was especially good at protecting the passer.  That group allowed just 1.5 sacks per game, second-fewest in the Big 12.  In all, Red Raider QBs were sacked just 18 times in 531 pass attempts.

As a high school recruit, Wright was just the No. 144 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 222 player in Texas so not much hype surrounded his arrival.  But when he was called upon to fill in for an All-Big 12 caliber player as a freshman, he was more than up to the task.  Thus, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him earn first-team all-conference recognition of his own this fall.