Red Raiders sign most highly regarded class in 11 years

Texas Tech believes its football program has turned a corner in the past two seasons with back-to-back bowl appearances and winning records after five sub-.500 seasons in a row.

Trying to keep the mojo going, coach Joey McGuire on Wednesday signed the Red Raiders' most highly regarded class in more than a decade. The Rivals and 247Sports recruiting services both rank the class No. 23 in the nation and No. 4 in the Big 12 — second among the Big 12 teams sticking around after the coming departures of Texas and Oklahoma.

It's the most acclaimed Tech class since 2011, when the Red Raiders' haul was ranked No. 20 by Rivals and No. 19 by 247Sports. Eight players from that 2011 group went on to multi-year pro careers. Whether this group can match that remains to be seen, but it has the speed McGuire and his staff crave, including a sprinkling of state champion track-and-field athletes.

That approach worked at Baylor, McGuire's old school. After a 12-2 season last year, Bears players wowed at the NFL combine and six were drafted.

"We wanted to really increase our team speed, our length and our size," McGuire said. "It's kind of running joke that big people beat up little people. We signed some big offensive linemen and big defensive linemen, and then, nobody can question that this is the fastest class in the nation."

In all, 24 high-school seniors signed national letters of intent with the Red Raiders, and three preferred walk-ons signed enrollment paperwork. Thirteen of the Tech signees were ranked as Texas state top-100 prospects by Rivals, 247Sports or both. That includes Abernathy all-purpose player Anthony White, who missed his senior season with a knee injury but is ranked No. 95 by 247Sports. Tech got him to come aboard as a preferred walk-on.

Tech scored big in its own backyard. Post defensive end Isaiah Crawford, Clarendon running back Jmaury Davis and Wichita Falls Rider running Anquan Willis also bring state top-100 credentials, and the Red Raiders signed Coronado linebacker John Curry, Lubbock-Cooper offensive lineman Kaden Carr and Trinity Christian all-purpose player Marcus Ramon-Edwards.

"We're serious about recruiting West Texas," McGuire said. "You've got to take advantage of guys who can play at this level who are this close."

The Red Raiders initially recruited Davis as a safety, but the Clarendon star changed minds this season with how impressive he is at running back.

"Davis is extremely explosive," McGuire said.

Tech coaches are expecting 11 of the signees to enroll and join the program in January, giving them the benefit of going through winter conditioning and spring practice. That includes quarterback Jake Strong from Justin Northwest, three of the defensive linemen and three of the defensive backs.

Position projections

Among Tech's four offensive-line signees, Nick Fattig from League City Clear Creek is most likely to play center.

"He's got great flexibility," McGuire said. "Very, very intelligent, football IQ-wise. I see him that he could help us at center."

Tech coaches also project Cooper's Carr on the interior.

"He's a guard," McGuire said. "Big body. And when you watch him and watch his tape, he finishes. He has a nasty streak."

Among defensive backs, McGuire said Mansfield Timberview's Jordan Sanford projects at cornerback, Mansfield's Brenden Jordan at star — the hybrid safety-linebacker spot that Marquis Waters plays — and Burleson Centennial's Chapman Lewis at free safety or boundary safety, the spots Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Reggie Pearson played this season.

In the defensive front, Houston King's Dylan Spencer is projected at field defensive end, the position Tyree Wilson played, and Post's Crawford at boundary end, where Jesiah Pierre plays. Coronado's Curry and state champion hurdlers Miquel Dingle from Charleston, South Carolina, and Justin Horne from River Ridge, Louisiana, all are viewed as inside linebackers, the positions played by Krishon Merriweather and Kosi Eldridge.

Perhaps no signee projects to more position possibilities than Ramon-Edwards, the 6-3, 195-pound Trinity Christian standout who rushed for 1,265 yards and 24 touchdowns during the regular season. Safety is the initial thought for Ramon-Edwards. But McGuire said coaches might give him a look at wide receiver and he could grow into a boundary end.

"Marcus Ramon-Edwards probably could play anything," McGuire said.

Quick hits

Chris Palfreeman committed to the Red Raiders in April, but Tech stopped recruiting the Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal receiver. Palfreeman was arrested in September on a charge of possession of marijuana, less than 2 ounces, in a drug-free zone. The Parker County prosecutor's office filed the charge on the Class A misdemeanor on Dec. 13. ...

Former Tech quarterback Donovan Smith was among 16 players announced as signees by the University of Houston. ...

During early practices for the Texas Bowl, offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Dennis Wilburn are alternating days between their regular positions and others. One day, Rogers works at left tackle and Wilburn at center, as usual. The next, Rogers works at center and Wilburn at guard, and they go back and forth doing that.

Wilburn has started every game at center, but the Red Raiders plan to move him to guard for spring practice.

"I really believe moving Dennis to guard is going to change our offensive line," McGuire said.

True freshman Sheridan Wilson has been the Red Raiders' second-team center, and Cade Briggs also will return at that spot next season. McGuire said Wilson "has had a really, really good fall.

"I know he hasn't played in a game, but he's a freshman that has really grown up."

Texas Tech recruiting class

The following players submitted national letters of intent or enrollment paperwork to Texas Tech on Wednesday. The national signing periods for high-school recruits are Wednesday through Friday and Feb. 1 through April 1. An asterisk (*) denotes players expected to enroll in January. An "r" denotes a Texas state top-100 recruit by Rivals, a "t" denotes a Texas state top-100 prospect by 247Sports and a "u" denotes a player receiving that ranking from both. Heights and weights are as listed by Tech.

Signed national letter of intent: *Jake Strong, 6-2, 200, QB, Justin Northwest; r-Jmaury Davis, 5-11, 175, RB, Clarendon; u-*Anquan Willis, 6-0, 200, RB, Wichita Falls Rider; Demarion "D.J." Crest, 6-3, 185, WR, El Paso Parkland; u-Kelby Valsin, 6-2, 185, WR-IR, Arlington Bowie; u-Tyrone West, 6-1, 190, WR, Humble; *Kaden Carr, 6-5, 305, OG, Lubbock-Cooper; u-Nick Fattig, 6-4, 280, C, League City Clear Springs; r-Dylan Shaw, 6-4, 300, OT, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff; t-*Daniel Sill, 6-5, 275, OT, College Station; t-*Dylan Spencer, 6-4, 240, FDE, Houston King; u-Isaiah Crawford, 6-4, 240, BDE, Post; Amier Washington, 6-3, 244, DE, Orange Little Cypress-Mauriceville; *Jayden Cofield, 6-3, 325, DT, Manor; t-Ansel Nedore, 6-4, 260, DT, Round Rock; *Braylon Rigsby, 6-2, 290, DT, Woodville; John Curry, 6-3, 195, ILB, Coronado; *Miquel Dingle, 6-1, 210, ILB, Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes; Justin Horne, 6-1, 200, ILB, River Ridge (La.) John Curtis Christian; t-*Brenden Jordan, 6-1, 190, Star S, Mansfield; Marcus Ramon-Edwards, 6-3, 195, S, Trinity Christian; *Chapman Lewis, 6-1, 170, FS, Burleson Centennial; u-*Jordan Sanford, 6-0, 185, CB, Mansfield Timberview; Marquez "Macho" Stevenson, 6-2, 170, CB, Shreveport (La.) Captain Shreve.

Preferred walk-ons/signed enrollment paperwork: Garrett Morphis, 6-6, 290, OL, Waco Midway; t-Anthony White, 6-0, 180, S, Abernathy; Miles Thompson, 5-11, 170, DB, Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Washington.

Mid-year transfers: C.J. Baskerville, 6-2, 210, S, San Diego State/North Richland Hills Richland HS; Quincy Ledet, 6-2, 294, DT, Louisiana-Monroe/West Orange-Stark.

Oral commitment: Tre'Darius Brown, 6-3, 300, DT, Natchitoches (La.) Central.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Red Raiders sign most highly regarded class in 11 years