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Texas Tech football: Five players that will be wildcards this season

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 10: T.J. Vasher #9 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts to scoring a touchdown during the game against the Texas Longhorns on November 10, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas defeated Texas Tech 41-34. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 10: T.J. Vasher #9 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts to scoring a touchdown during the game against the Texas Longhorns on November 10, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas defeated Texas Tech 41-34. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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Quarterback Giovanni Rescigno #17 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is wrapped up by defensive tackle Raequan Williams #99 of the Michigan State Spartans and linebacker Brandon Bouyer-Randle #26 of the Michigan State Spartans. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
Quarterback Giovanni Rescigno #17 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is wrapped up by defensive tackle Raequan Williams #99 of the Michigan State Spartans and linebacker Brandon Bouyer-Randle #26 of the Michigan State Spartans. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle

With the leave of absence of LB Xaver Benson, Texas Tech needs another edge rusher to step forward.  Look for Michigan State grad transfer Brandon Bouyer-Randle to get the first shot at being that guy at outside linebacker.   How he plays could be a significant factor in 2020.

The problem here is that he’s coming off a season where injuries forced him to miss all but four games.  The good news is that it was the only time in his college career that he didn’t play a full 13-game schedule.

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From all accounts, Randle is an excellent athlete.  And at 6-foot-3, 235-pounds, he has the size to be a force off the edge.

But he has only one season in which he made any type of significant impact in East Lansing.  That was in 2018 when he registered 21 tackles and 4.0 sacks.  Tech needs much more than that out of him this year.

Benson was sneaky good last season, his first as a full-time contributor to the Texas Tech defense.  With 57 tackles, he was fourth on the team and he would have been this year’s second-leading returning tackler behind Riko Jeffers.

But what Benson didn’t do much of was sack the QB.  Only once did he get to the passer last fall.

If Bouyer-Randle can exceed that total this year, he will be able to have a huge impact on the Red Raiders, even if he doesn’t match Benson’s tackle output from a year ago.

His situation with the Spartans seemed quite a bit similar to Townsend’s at Alabama in that the competition for playing time was fierce.  Annually, Michigan State has one of the best defenses in the nation and MSU churns out NFL linebackers at an amazing rate.

Thus, the fact that Randle wasn’t ever able to become a full-time starter there could be viewed by some as concerning while being seen by others as understandable.  But however you view it, the reason he’s now a Red Raider is all tied to playing time.

"“The biggest part about this is getting an opportunity to go to Texas Tech, get on the field a lot and have the opportunity to showcase my talents,” Bouyer-Randle told the Battle Creek Enquirer when he officially signed with the Red Raiders.. “I want to get to the next level, which is where I want to be, and I think I can get that done at Texas Tech.”"

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Randle has two years of eligibility remaining so he is a face we will have time to get to know.  And what he brings to the table in 2020 will be critical given that he will be filling the shoes of a player that was surprisingly productive a year ago.

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