It was quite a day for Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire and his staff after they signed a top-25 class. The only class among the best teams in the country for the Big 12.
Paul Myerberg pointed out Texas Tech among the winners which includes Alabama, Nebraska, and Ohio State.
The Red Raiders inked a pretty eye-opening group thanks in large part to five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson, the highest-rated signee in program history. Hudson will be expected to immediately impact a passing game that ranked last in the Big 12 in yards per attempt and interceptions during the regular season. Beyond Hudson, the class is defined by geography: All but one of Texas Tech’s 21 signees as of Wednesday afternoon came from inside the state, with other standouts including offensive lineman Ellis Davis and four-star quarterback Will Hammond.
Hudson was the first-ever five-star player to sign with Texas Tech since ranking prospects started in 2000. He is a dynamic weapon and he will be among the early enrollees along with quarterback Will Hammond.
When discussing the losers of early signing day, Myerberg pointed to the rest of the Big 12.
Texas Tech’s signing class hovered around the top 25 nationally but ranks as the best group in the Big 12, according to 247 with TCU, Central Florida and Kansas coming next. In comparison, the ACC had four, the Big Ten had six and the SEC had a whopping 13 classes ranked in the top 25. The already measurable talent gap between the league and the rest of the Power Four will only grow after signing day.
The Red Raiders capped off the 2023 season with a win over California in the Independence Bowl to finish with a winning record for the second straight season. Something that hasn’t happened since Mike Leach roamed the sidelines in Lubbock, Texas.
After finishing 15-11 in his first two seasons with the Red Raiders, the real test will come in year 3 as Tech looks to take control of the new look Big 12. They will have plenty of competition with Arizona and Utah coming in along with Arizona State and Colorado.