Texas Tech football: 5 potential game-changing signees in 2024 class

Texas Tech needs OT Ellis Davis to be a bookend on the O-line

Maybe the toughest need for a team of Texas Tech's pedigree to fill is along the offensive line. That's because there simply aren't that many dominant HS linemen available to sign and every program in the nation is trying to sign three to five of them every cycle.

Most Red Raiders know that for much of the past decade, Tech's offensive line recruiting has been rather lackluster. That's why McGuire is having to try to fill so many holes up front via the transfer portal.

Still, the plan is to start to build a high school O-line pipeline, and Prosper offensive tackle Ellis Davis could be one of the biggest building blocks in that process. Rated a 4-star prospect and the No. 15 tackle in the country, he's the No. 171 overall national recruit and the No. 29 player in Texas.

Trying to project if a HS offensive lineman will become a star at the college level is next to impossible. There is so much physical maturation that must happen for a high school player to be ready to compete on Saturdays and no one knows how well a large recruit can add weight to his frame while still maintaining the needed mobility to play in the Big 12.

Davis seems to be the safest bet in the 2024 Texas Tech class, though. He had offers from the likes of Auburn, Stanford, Colorado, BYU, Duke, Florida State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, TCU, A&M, and Utah.

Even with Davis being one of Texas' top offensive linemen, he won't be ready to play immediately. Rather, he will join the young wave of linemen in the oven at Tech. That group includes 2023 signees Kaden Carr, Nick Fattig, Dylan Shaw, and Daniel Sill (all of whom are highly thought of by the coaching staff but none of whom are physically ready to play starting roles just yet).

Though we won't likely see Davis on the field right away, his signing today makes Texas Tech a better program. Players of his caliber along the O-line have been tough for the Red Raiders to land and he's giving the program hope that int he future, most of the O-line can be home grown.