It was a big spring for the Texas Tech football program. While no championships can be won in March or April, programs can get better during that time of the year, and that's what the Red Raiders did.
While coaches will argue that the biggest spring improvements come on the field in the form of the 15 practices that they get to hold with their teams, fans are more concerned with the additions their school makes via the transfer portal's spring window. That's where Texas Tech did some serious work in March and April.
Head coach Joey McGuire and his program brought in four transfers over the past two months. All four could play key roles in their Red Raider careers.
The first was Stanford edge rusher David Bailey. A four-star transfer, he picked Tech over Texas, and many are projecting him to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Then, Tech added Colorado transfer center Cash Cleveland. Just a freshman in 2024, he started the final four games for the Buffaloes and earned some Freshman All-American recognition. He will battle for immediate playing time along the interior of the Red Raider offensive line.
After that, former 5-star high school signee Micah Hudson decided to return to Texas Tech after a brief stint with Texas A&M. It is yet to be seen if he will be counted on to make a huge impact in 2025 but he has all the potential to be a significant contributor before his time in Lubbock is over.
Finally, Tech brought in Roy Alexander from FCS program, Incarnate Word. He caught 100 passes for 1,108 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, and the expectation is that he will fight for a starting role as Tech's slot receiver this season.
Those additions only helped make one of the nation's top portal classes even more formidable. That roster supplementation brought Tech to the forefront of the sport once again after the Red Raiders dominated headlines in the winter transfer window as well.
What's more, the Red Raiders are now entrenched as one of the favorites to win the Big 12 in the fall. Of course, that's something that the program has never managed to do.
As we look at the post-spring Big 12 power rankings, it is easy to see why Red Raider fans are so pumped about their team's prospects heading into the summer. However, nothing is guaranteed as there are some strong contenders who will make it tough for Texas Tech to finally climb the Big 12 mountain.
Big 12 ranking | Team |
|---|---|
No. 1 | Texas Tech |
No. 2 | Arizona State |
No. 3 | BYU |
No. 4 | Kansas State |
No. 5 | Iowa State |
No. 6 | Baylor |
No. 7 | TCU |
No. 8 | Utah |
No. 9 | Kansas |
No. 10 | Colorado |
No. 11 | West Virginia |
No. 12 | Oklahoma State |
No. 13 | Arizona |
No. 14 | Houston |
No. 15 | Cincinnati |
No. 16 | UCF |
On paper, Texas Tech has the best roster in the Big 12. Tech has added 13 four-star transfers to a team that won eight games last season and returns its starting quarterback.
However, other Big 12 contenders such as BYU, Arizona State, Kansas State, and Baylor also have plenty of returning firepower. Thus, it will be another wild season in the nation's most balanced conference in 2025. Still, it is great to think that Tech will go into the fall expected to be one of the top teams in the league for the first time in nearly 20 years.