Texas Tech football: 2021 signees that could play as true freshmen

Defensive end E’maurion Banks is already built like a collegiate

No team can have too many defensive linemen.  So while Tech has decent numbers returning at that position, it is important that they have added two quality signees to their defensive end ranks.

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The better of the two is E’maurion Banks from Wichita Falls.  At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, he’s already got the size to compete at the Big 12 level and a few months in the Tech strength program could see him jump to 280 pounds by the time the season rolls around, which is about what Tech likes their defensive ends to weigh.

Rated as the no. 37 DE in the nation and the no. 87 player in Texas, Banks is the fourth-highest ranked recruit to sign with Tech in this year’s early window.  He held offers from the likes of Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, and Washington State.

This year, Tech lost DE Eli Howard to graduation leaving a significant hole to fill.  The San Angelo native and former North Texas transfer ends his career with 14.5 sacks including 2.5 this past season.

Still, Tech is in decent shape at DE in regards to overall numbers.  Tech will have Tyree Wilson, Tony Bradford Jr., Devin Drew, and Philip Blidi all returning.

But Banks will have his opportunity to break into that rotation as well.  And given how important it is to have plenty of numbers to throw at that position, he needs to do just that.