The Texas Tech football team has added another defensive back via the transfer portal. After bringing South Dakota State safety Cole Wisniewski into the mix on Wednesday, the program added Charlotte defensive back Dontae Balfour to the roster on Thursday.
Balfour will be a senior next season with one year left to play. The Florida native is 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds and he brings to the South Plains plenty of experience.
Coming out of high school in the class of 2021, he was a four-star prospect who originally signed with North Carolina. He played two seasons in Chapel Hill appearing in six games and being credited with only six tackles.
Welcome to @TexasTechFB and @MatadorClubOrg, @BalfourDontae! pic.twitter.com/iO9JKt4jXz
— The Matador Club (@MatadorClubOrg) December 12, 2024
After transferring to Charlotte for the 2023 season, though, Balfour began to emerge as a playmaker. As a redshirt sophomore, he started in 11 games. During that season, he made 54 tackles, picked off one pass, and was credited with 11 passes defended. What's more, he had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
This season, he has been credited with 49 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 more pass defenses. That's the type of productivity that made him intriguing to Texas Tech given the Red Raiders' woeful pass defense in 2024.
Finishing 132nd nationally in passing yards allowed per game at 305.3, the Red Raiders were the worst team in the Big 12 when it came to stopping opposing aerial assaults. What's more, the team is set to lose its top corner, Bralyn Lux, to graduation after this season.
Therefore, adding Balfour is a step in the right direction when it comes to helping fix the pass defense in Lubbock. Hopefully, he will be able to be one of the reasons that the Red Raiders take a step forward in that department in 2025.