Texas Tech football: Red Raiders that could be 2022 draftees

This past weekend, the Texas Tech football program had a pair of players, Zech McPhearson and Jack Anderson, selected in the NFL Draft.  That’s six consecutive years that at least one Red Raider has had his name called.   It was also the third time in the last four years that two Red Raiders have been picked.

McPhearson went to the Philadelphia Eagles at pick No. 123 overall making him the first Red Raider defensive back since Darcel McBath in 2009 to be taken in the top four rounds.  What’s more, he became the first Red Raider DB since Jamar Wall in 2010 to be selected.

Meanwhile, Anderson found his way to Buffalo at pick No. 236 overall (7th round).  He became the first Tech offensive lineman to be taken since LeRaven Clark went to the Indianapolis Colts in the third round.

But while it was nice to see a pair of Red Raiders get the honor of being selected this year, it would be great to see this program put more players in the draft.  That would be a sign that the talent level is on the rise in Lubbock.

Of course, this was an odd year when it came to the draft.  Due to the fact that all college football players received a free year of eligibility due to the impact of COVID-19 on the 2020 season, the pool of draft-eligible players was over 50% smaller than it is in a normal year.  And like many schools, Tech had a number of seniors decide to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility and forego the draft process.

On the other hand, that means that next year, with all of the super seniors in the game this fall, the draft pool could be deeper than ever.  And given how many quality seniors Matt Wells will have playing for him this year, we might see an inordinate number of Red Raiders in the draft conversation a year from now.

The last time that Tech had more than three players picked in a single draft was in 2009.  That’s not surprising given how much talent was on the 2008 team that went 11-2 and sat as high as No. 2 in the national polls late in the season.

As you might expect, in the years since, as the Red Raiders have fallen into dismay as a program, the number of draft picks produced by the program has diminished significantly.  From 2001-2010, the Red Raiders saw 18 players picked (1.8 per year).  But from 2011-2021, the program has produced just 14 draftees (an average of 1.2).

Of course, 2021 is going to be a massive year for the Texas Tech football program as Wells enters the season coaching for his job after putting up just eight total wins in his two seasons in charge.  And to try to save his job, he has stocked his team with senior transfers and upperclassmen meaning that the 2022 NFL Draft could be one that Tech is far more heavily involved in than any in the last decade.

So let’s take a look at some members of the 2021 team that could hear their names called next April.  And we will start with a player who many think could be a first-round selection.