Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks earns preseason All-American recognition from ESPN

This year, there isn't as much hype surrounding the Texas Tech football team as there was last preseason. However, one Red Raider, Tahj Brooks, is getting his share of national love.

Coming off of a 1,500-yard season in 2023, the super-senior from Manor, Texas has been named a second-team preseason All-American by ESPN. Interestingly, the first team running back for ESPN, Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II, is also a Big 12 member.

It's a sign that the conference will be loaded at the running back position this fall. Other standout backs in the league include R.J. Harvey of Central Florida, Devan Neal of Kansas, and D.J. Giddens of Kansas State.

However, it is possible that Brooks means as much to his team as any running back in the nation. Last year, he was the Red Raiders' primary offensive weapon. In fact, opposing teams knew he was going to carry the ball 20 times or more per game because of the sprained throwing shoulder of QB Behren Morton.

In all, Brooks carried the ball 290 times in 2023. After getting only 18 carries in the first two weeks, he averaged 24.7 rushes per game.

Now, he sits just over 1,100 yards away from breaking Texas Tech's all-time career rushing record. That's a target that head coach Joey McGuire has vowed to help Brooks hit.

It's been a steady rise for Brooks since he arrived in Lubbock. Just the No. 624 overall player in the class of 2020, he was a consensus 3-star prospect.

As a freshman, he had 255 yards and 4 TDs on 69 carries. A year later, he ran for 568 yards and 7 TDs on 87 carries in nine games played.

2022 saw him split time with SaRodorick Thompson. He posted 691 yards and 7 more scores. Then, he exploded last season, his first time to be Texas Tech's featured running back.

This year, Brooks will again be the bell cow of Tech's running game. However, the hope is that he will have more help from the other running backs on the roster as well as the passing attack. Hopefully, by the end of the season, he'll also have even more accolades after another standout performance.