The offensive line for the Red Raiders feels like one of the more set position groups on this roster currently. This starting unit on the offensive line, as a whole, has as a lot of game experience at the collegiate level. They return a group that’s looking to build off its success from a year ago and develop into an even better unit in 2021. The real competition at the offensive line position comes in the two-deep rotation behind the starters. The defensive line rotation however, feels like it is nowhere near set in stone at this point in fall camp. At the same time, the defensive line may feature more depth at the position group than we’ve been used to in years past.
LT
51 TJ Storment - Super SR – The second team All-Big 12 LT appeared in nine games for TCU in 2020 and started at LT for the Horned Frogs over their final 7 games. A stretch that saw TCU go 5-2 to close out their season. At 6-7 320lbs, Storment has the size you crave for your bookend left tackle. TJ told me at media day that he initially wanted to transfer closer to home on the East Coast but decided to pass up on offers from Tennessee and North Carolina because playing for Coach Cumbie meant that much to him. Storment is looking to build off his first season of Big 12 play and should compete for First Team All-Big 12 Honors this fall.
75 Larry Moore - FR-RS – Did not see any action as a scout team member in 2020 but has the size needed to play the tackle position in this league at 6-6, 290lbs. Barring injuries, I don’t expect we’ll see much of Larry Moore this season barring injury but offensive line coach Steve Farmer mentioned that Moore has a bright future at Tech.
LG
70 Weston Wright – JR – Started at RG in 2019 and moved over to the left side in 2020. Wright started in all 10 games at the position a season ago, garnering honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in the process. Wright brings veteran experience and a consistent presence to an offensive line that allowed only 1.6 sacks per game a season ago, which ranked 3rd in the Big 12 and 30th in the NCAA. Weston has made 18 career starts for the Red Raiders, including an impressive 17 in a row over the past two seasons. Wright should benefit even more in 2021 playing next to All Big-12 Offensive lineman TJ Storment and Dawson Deaton.
68 Casey Verhulst – SR – Played as a reserve lineman and on special teams during the first four games of 2020 before an injury cut his season short. Another reserve lineman with impressive size at 6-6, 310lbs. Verhulst should play a similar role in 2021, mostly as a reserve and a lineman on special teams units.
C
73 Dawson Deaton – SR – Started in all 10 games at center a season ago and received second team All Big-12 accolades in the process. Dawson brings an additional veteran experience to this Texas Tech offensive line starting 23 games in a row and 22 at the center position. Deaton was a key cog in an offensive line a season ago that allowed only 5.4 tackles for loss per game, ranking second in the Big-12. Deaton was named to the Rimington Award watch list for 2021.
64 Clayton Franks – JR – The Mansfield Legacy product appeared in 3 games for the Red Raiders in 2019 but did not appear in any game action in 2020. Offensive line coach Steve Farmer mentioned Franks as a guy who’s impressed in fall camp so far.
RG
50 Josh Burger – Super SR – Started in all 10 games at RT for the Red Raiders a season ago. Burger, at 6-4 305, should benefit this season from moving inside on the offensive line to RG. Josh has the most game experience on this offensive line and has been a consistent presence wherever he’s been having made 35 consecutive starts, 25 of which came at Wofford before coming to Tech as a graduate transfer in 2019.
72 Landon Peterson – SOPH – The Odessa Permian product played in one game in 2019 and appeared in 9 games a season ago as a reserve and lineman on special teams. Coach Farmer mentioned Peterson as a guy who has had a good spring and is starting to come into his own this fall. Peterson has good size at 6-6, 315 and could be a viable starter for Tech in the future.
RT
76 Caleb Rogers – SOPH – The young buck on this o-line as a sophomore, Rogers is looking to build off his Freshman season in 2020 where he saw action in 9 games, including starts at LT over the final 3 games of the season. Texas Tech was 2-1 over those final three games Rogers started at LT with wins over Baylor and Kansas, and the offensive line only gave up four sacks during that 3-game stretch.
77 Ethan Carde – JR – Appeared in 10 games last season for the Red Raiders while starting at LT for the first 7. Has the most experience of the backup offensive lineman on the roster so I would assume if any injuries take place on the o-line in 2021 he would be the first man up into action. Coach Farmer mentioned that Ethan Carde has been impressive in fall camp so far saying he “bounces around well.”
Defensive Line
Defensive End-
19 Tyree Wilson – JR – At 6-6 275, Wilson has physical stature of a prototype NFL defensive end. Transferred from Texas A&M after playing in all 12 games for the Aggies in 2019. Wilson arrived in Lubbock last August and quickly burst onto the scene making his presence felt in the Big 12 opener against the Longhorns. Wilson started the final 4 games of 2020 at defensive end, but also has the unique ability to slid inside and play DT. Wilson should have the added benefit in 2021 of having spent a full year in this defensive system.
91 Nelson Mbanasor – SR – Another versatile defensive end on this Texas Tech roster, Mbanasor is looking to build of his 2019 season after being limited to only one game a season ago. Nelson spent a lot of time working with Coach Scholz over the past year and feels like he’s in excellent shape physically heading into this season. Tony Bradford mentioned Nelson Mbanasor as a guy he’s looking to step up and have a big season in 2021. Barring injury, I feel like its safe to assume Nelson is primed to have his best season yet as a Red Raider.
92 L.B. Moore – FR-RS – On media day Matt Wells referred to L.B. Moore as one of the more improved players on the team. At 6-3 260 one thing that catches my eye about Moore is that he seems to move quick for a guy his size. The Amarillo Tascosa product will add a nice change of pace and depth to the position as one of the top backups at the DE position for the Red Raiders this fall.
N
97 Tony Bradford Jr. – JR – Started in 8 games in 2020 and led the defensive line in tackles as well as tackles for a loss. Bradford mentioned to me that he played last season while trying to get his weight up and as a result he never felt like he was in the best of shape and left him feeling gassed physically at times during games. Tony feels like heading into 2021 that he’s in the best shape of his career and that he’ll be even more of an impact at the position because of it. After receiving honorable mention All Big-12 honors a season ago, I expect Bradford to be even more of an impact player for the defensive line this fall.
95 Jaylon Hutchings – JR – The Hutchings/Bradford battle at the nose is one of the better position battles on this team. However it plays out though is irrelevant because this will be an interchangeable unit that should give the Red Raiders the best 1-2 punch they’ve had at the position in a long time. At 6 ft 305 lbs Hutchings fits the profile perfectly for your typical nose tackle and was second on this defensive line in tackles a season ago. Hutching started 10 games at the nose tackle position as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and started in all 10 games at the same position a season ago. Hutchings will be a consistent presence for the Red Raiders in 2021.
93 Troy T’eo – SR – The local product from Lubbock Cooper saw action in four games as a junior in 2020 and served as a backup at the nose position. T’eo grew up playing rugby before moving to Lubbock at the age of 13 from Australia and began playing football for the first time. Spent two seasons at Eastern New Mexico before transferring to Texas Tech in 2019.
T
90 Devin Drew – SR – Appeared in all 10 games a season ago and was third on the defensive line in tackles and recorded multiple tackles in 5 different games. Drew transferred to Tech after 2 seasons at Iowa Western Community College where he was one of the highest rated junior college prospects in the country. Drew was a first team NJCAA All American and recorded an impressive 97 tackles (51 solo), 14.5 sacks, and 23.5 tackles for a loss during his tenure at Iowa Western. Drew is another versatile defensive lineman on this roster with his ability to line up at multiple spots. Expect Drew to build off his 2020 season and become even more impactful for the Red Raiders this fall.
96 Philip Blidi - SOPH – At 6-4 295lbs Blidi is another impressive physical specimen on this defensive line. Blidi saw his playing time steadily increase a season ago as he appeared in all 10 games as a true freshman for the Red Raiders. Philip will see an increased role in 2021 and as one of the younger guys on this defensive line, should be a mainstay in the position group for years to come.
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