Texas Tech Football: 3 biggest transfers to watch during the spring
Texas Tech football is back in action for the spring. The Red Raiders are entering their second week of camp as Joey McGuire is getting his team in shape for year three. Coming off their third consecutive season with a bowl win, the program has certainly entered the offseason with more momentum.
Tech is losing a few key starters from last year's team. Some of the most notable are Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Tony Bradford, and Jaylon Hutchings. Fortunately, McGuire has found viable replacements through the transfer portal. There will be many new faces on offense, most notably at receiver as well as on the offensive line. Spring is the perfect time for these new faces to get acclimated with McGuire's program. A few are worth watching leading up to the spring game.
1. Josh Kelly
Before the Red Raiders could even prepare for the Independence Bowl, they saw two key receivers enter the transfer portal. Myles Price and Jerand Bradley were two of the team's leading receivers in 2023 so replacing them is critical. Luckily McGuire found a super senior with some nice credentials. Former Washington State receiver Josh Kelly committed to Tech in December, instantly boosting the receiving group.
Kelly has bounced around since he entered the college ranks. He played at Fresno State his first four years. His first two were uneventful but his sophomore year things turned around. He played in all of the Bulldogs' 13 games and had over 700 yards receiving with three touchdowns. Injuries kept Kelly out for a good portion of 2022 where he only played in six games. After the season he decided to transfer to Washington State.
His only season as a Cougar was his career best. He had 61 catches for 923 yards and eight touchdowns. All were career-highs. While Kelly had a great season, his team did not. Washington State finished 5-7 in the final year of the Pac-12. The year convinced him to transfer again with one year of eligibility left.
Texas Tech got arguably one of the best receivers in the portal. Kelly has plenty of experience to bring to a receiving corps that needs it. Micah Hudson is the school's highest-rated recruit, but even top-ranked freshmen need mentorship. With former Florida Gator Caleb Douglas also here, the receiver room is once again stacked with talent. If Kelly can quickly gel with receivers coach Justin Johnson, he will be a guy to watch this spring and next fall.