Texas Tech football: Experienced DB joins Red Raiders via portal

Joey McGuire and the rest of the Texas Tech football coaching staff are still adding pieces to the 2023 roster and on Saturday, they got an addition that might be a bit under the radar but which might pay dividends this fall.

Fresno State transfer Bralyn Lux, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound defensive back from San Jose, California announced via Twitter that he has committed to the Red Raiders giving McGuire’s defense some much-needed depth at a premium position.

According to the Fresno State football website, Lux, who has two years of eligibility remaining, started all eight games he appeared in last season making 35 tackles breaking up 7 passes and coming away with one interception. In his career, he’s seen action in 27 games in which he’s racked up 85 tackles, 15 pass defenses, and a pair of picks.

Why this pickup is so important is that there is a depth concern at defensive back for Tech.  First of all presumed starting corner, Rayshad Williams, missed all of spring practice and has yet to return to full health due to a sports hernia.

https://twitter.com/iam_blux3/status/1662614815280615425?s=20

While he is expected to be a full-go for fall camp in August, just the thought of this injury flaring back up should be enough to make Red Raider fans shudder.  Last year, Williams was fantastic for Tech starting all 12 regular-season games coming up with 37 tackles, 7 pass breakups, and a pick.

What’s more, his 6-foot-3 frame makes him a unique corner given that he has the size to do battle with big receivers, an ability that many Red Raider corners have lacked in years past.  But even with Williams expected to be ready for the season, Tech still needed to add a ready-to-play corner to the defense as this offseason saw Adrian Frye depart to graduation and Kobie Minor exit via the portal.

Had Tech not added a veteran DB to the equation, young and untested players such as Maurion Horn, Chapman Lewis, Jordan Sanford, or Brenden Jordan might have been pressed into early duty as underclassmen, either as extra corners in a five-defensive-back formation or as starters in the case of an injury.

Now, Tech can turn to Lux to provide some much-needed age and experience to the secondary.  In his career, Lux has gone up against Power 5 teams such as Oregon, Southern Cal, and Oregon State so life in the Big 12 shouldn’t be too overwhelming to him.  That might not have been the case for the youngsters on Tech’s roster who have never seen meaningful snaps at this level of competition.

This is the second defensive back transfer Tech has added from the Mountain West Conference this offseason.  In late December, former San Diego State defensive back, C.J. Baskerville signed with Tech after playing 22 games and recording 75 career tackles for the Aztecs.  It is expected that Baskerville will get serious time, if not a starting role, at either the safety or “star” position.

The Red Raiders may not be finished adding pieces for the upcoming season either.  With the loss of last season’s leading tackler, middle linebacker Krishon Merriweather, some help could be used at that position given that the current options in the middle of the defense are junior Jacob Rodriguez, who has never been a starter at the collegiate level, and Jessiah Pierre who will be moving to the MLB position after being an edge rusher for the majority of his college career.

Also, don’t be shocked if Tech tries to add some offensive line depth.  While the starting five appears set, there is not a ton of confidence in the backup options the Red Raiders would have to turn to in case of an injury.  However, finding players of quality who can justify a scholarship at either of the middle LB spots or along the offensive line is difficult this late in the recruiting cycle.

Still, rest assured that McGuire will be constantly searching for ways to improve his team before camp begins in a little over two months.  That’s because this coaching staff believes the 2023 Red Raiders are capable of competing for a Big 12 title and adding the final touches to the roster might be what puts them over the top.