Texas Tech football: Red Raider rookies look to tackle NFL

It will be until August when Joey McGuire and Texas Tech football hit the field again, but former Red Raiders are making the jump to the next level in May.  Last month, the NFL Draft saw Tyree Wilson taken at number seven overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, but he is not alone in pursuing his NFL dreams. Five other Red Raiders signed as undrafted free agents or were invited to rookie mini camps this year.

The headliner was, of course, Wilson. He was at the top of draft boards since the middle of Tech’s 2022 season.  He is the highest Red Raider defender to be drafted and is tied for second-highest in school history with Donny Anderson in 1965. Even Patrick Mahomes and Michael Crabtree did not go that high in their respective drafts.

Wilson joins one of the better defensive lines in the league with veterans Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby. Still, his help is needed after the Raiders finished 24th in team pass rush win rate according to ESPN. With his size and raw strength, the sky feels like the limit for him. Getting a chance to learn behind veterans Crosby and Jones will do nothing but benefit Wilson and the defense.

While multiple Red Raiders are entering the NFL in 2023, Wilson was the only one drafted. The rest of these players had to wait until after day three to get a phone call from a team. Fortunately, some familiar names will get the opportunity to make a roster.