On the recruiting trail, Texas Tech football head coach Matt Wells is in pursuit of another elite offensive weapon in Ahmonte Watkins, who now has the Red Raiders in his top 4.
In the Big 12, you can never have too much firepower. That’s why the Texas Tech football program is in pursuit of 4-star running back Ahmonte Watkins despite already having an elite running back, Cam’Ron Valdez, already committed to the current class.
On Sunday, Watkins cut his list of schools down to four and Tech made the list along with A&M, TCU, and Mississippi State. In addition to those schools, he also has offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Miami, Utah, and West Virginia among others.
At 5-foot-10, 173 pounds, Watkins is one of the more explosive running backs in Texas. Rated the no. 4 all-purpose running back in the nation and the no. 44 player in the state, he’s averaging over nine yards per carry this year thanks to elite top-end speed.
https://twitter.com/ahmontewatkins/status/1330654732390641664?s=20
"Gabe Brooks of 247Sports.com has the following scouting report on Watkins: “Adequate height with lean, athletic build, though somewhat slight. Played small-school Louisiana ball through junior year before moving to Texas. Two-way prospect as all-purpose back/receiver or safety. Possesses outstanding track speed that manifests on the gridiron.More from Wreck'Em RedTexas Tech football: Red Raider fans need to know about these MountaineersTexas Tech football: Red Raiders land first commit for class of 2025Texas Tech football: Why have the Red Raiders struggled on the road under McGuire?Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders can compete for a Big 12 titleTexas Tech football: Plenty of questions remain as conference play arrives“Multiple Louisiana 2A state championships in track. PR of 10.71 in the 100 and 21.39 in the 200. Flashes great straight-line explosion. Possesses big-play ability as a runner. Patrols a ton of territory when playing safety.“Aware from back end of the defense and shows good ball skills. Athleticism lends to range in coverage. Can improve lateral mobility. Sometimes unnecessarily bounces runs. Will need to show man coverage ability if playing defense. Raw technically and must hone position-specific skill, regardless of eventual positional home. Speedster whose wheels and natural athleticism could lead to impactful role at high-major level, whether as an offensive weapon or a DB.”"
Running back is not a position of desperate need in this class. That’s because the presence of Valdez, the no. 24 RB in the nation and no. 62 player in Texas, means that the Red Raiders already have addressed that position group in the class of 2021.
What’s more, Tech could welcome back all four of this year’s scholarship running backs (SaRodorick Thompson, Tahj Brooks, Xavier White, and Chadarius Townsend) next year. Thus, it would seem that Wells and Co. would only take a second RB in this class if that back proved to be a special player. Apparently, they believe that Watkins could be just that.
There are no “crystal ball” predictions for this recruiting race on 247sports so it’s tough to tell where he is leaning. So keep an eye on this recruiting battle because it could bring another elite weapon to Texas Tech’s 2021 recruiting haul.