With the December version of National Signing Day now behind us, it is time to start looking toward the future of the Texas Tech football program. Wednesday, we discussed five potential game-changing additions that Joey McGuire and his staff made in the recruiting cycle.
Today, though, let's discuss some of the players who might not be getting as much hype but who could wind up being key components of the roster in due time. After all, Texas Tech is a program that has been built on coaxing the most out of 3-star players as possible.
Of course, every Red Raider fan is already dreaming about what 5-star signee Micah Hudson will do on the field next season. What's more, plenty are amped to see what 4-star QB Will Hammond might become in Lubbock.
While those signees are worthy of the hype, history suggests that the backbone of the program is going to be 3-star players who develop into quality college football players. For every Graham Harrell, there is a Kliff Kingsbury or Pat Mahomes. For every Michael Crabtree, there is a Joel Filani or Antoine Wesley.
Just think about some of the best players to represent the Double T in recent years and you'll remember that most were just average 3-star recruits.
Tahj Brooks, the nation's 4th-leading rusher in 2023 was only a 3-star prospect coming out of Manor, Texas. He was the No. 635 recruit in his signing class and the No. 46 running back in the country according to 247Sports' composite rankings.
One year before signing Brooks, Tech picked up a commitment from a lightly recruited Oklahoma running back named Dadrion Taylor. Just a 3-star prospect and the No. 1,956 player in the country, he would flip to safety and become one of the best defensive backs in the Big 12 in rather short order.
Wouldn't we all like another Jaylon Hutchings to anchor the defensive line moving forward? Well, he was just the No. 1,855 player in the class of 2018 and no one expected him to be a likely NFL draft pick when he arrived.
We could go even further back and talk about other former 3-star signees such as Keke Coutee, Jakeem Grant, Jordyn Brooks, or SaRodorick Thompson, all of whom were far from being considered blue-chip signees but all of whom made a huge impact on Texas Tech football. However, you get the point.
This year, the focus of signing day was the top end of the class because Tech had its first 5-star signee and four more 4-star signees. However, it is worthwhile to dive deeper into the class and look at the 3-star players who may develop into foundational pieces before their time in Lubbock is over.