Texas Tech football: The 5 most indispensable Red Raiders in 2022

No. 2: Krishon Merriweather

Another player who has little in the way of proven experience behind him is middle LB Krishon Merriweather.  In fact, it’s frightening to think about what life would be like without him.

A super-senior, Merriweather returns after making 52 tackles (5.5 for loss) last season.  But now that Tech is without 2021 standouts Colin Schooler and Riko Jeffers at linebacker, Merriweather is likely due for a huge season as the primary MLB.

This is a situation where the 2020 COVI-19 freebie is paying huge dividends for Tech.  Were it not for that one-time free pass, Merriweather would have exhausted his eligibility last season leaving Tech’s LB room completely barren.

Behind Merriweather on the depth chart is sophomore Jacob Rodriguez who is just learning to play LB after transferring to Texas Tech from Virginia.  The Wichita Falls native has turned heads in the offseason and looks to be a future starter but he’s never played LB at the college level having been an offensive jack-of-all-trades at Virginia after playing QB in high school.  Thus, it doesn’t seem to be time to thrust him into a starting job in the middle of the defense just yet.

Senior Kosi Eldridge could be an option at MLB if Merriweather were to go down.  But he has suffered his own injury woes throughout his college career.  What’s more, in three years with Tech, he’s managed to make only 31 tackles despite appearing in 19 games.

The linebacker position has been a place of strength for Tech in recent years with the likes of Schooler, Jeffers, Jordyn Brooks, and Dakota Allen all excelling there.  Merriweather could be the next to join that group if he has the type of 2022 that many believe he will.  But behind him, there is no one who has proven ready to play a starting role and that’s why Merriweather is one of the team’s most indispensable players in 2022.