Texas Tech football recruiting class ranked No. 22 going into signing day
With the coming departures of Texas and Oklahoma, the Texas Tech football program aspires to be the best in the newly reconstituted Big 12. The Red Raiders might well be that in one aspect, given that theirs is the highest-ranked recruiting class in the conference going into Wednesday, the start of the three-day early signing period.
Joey McGuire's talent haul was No. 22 in the 247Sports' composite recruiting class ranking as of Tuesday. Tech has 20 commitments from high-school recruits, 11 of whom are in the state's top 100 on the same composite ranking.
In addition to the high-school signees, Tech also likely will announce the additions of several players from the NCAA transfer portal. The Red Raiders' efforts there yielded a 10th commitment Tuesday, this one from Sterling Porcher, a 6-foot-4, 304-pound offensive tackle who started 25 games the past two seasons for Middle Tennessee State.
Porcher (pronounced "Poor-SHAY") spent the previous two seasons at Iowa Western on a team that reached the NJCAA championship in 2021. After having his name entered into the transfer portal in late November, Porcher was offered scholarships by Baylor, Syracuse, Arizona State, Tech and numerous group-of-five programs.
The Tech staff likely will count on Porcher to compete right away for a starting job with 22-game starter Monroe Mills transferring out and 42-game starter Caleb Rogers set to move to center or guard. Rogers said last week he expects to play center next season.
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High-school recruits can send in their letters of intent beginning at 7 a.m. Wednesday. The early period runs for three days, and the traditional signing period begins on the first Wednesday in February. The vast majority of committed recruits normally sign on the first day, however.
Topping the chart of high-school recruits set to send their letters of intent to Texas Tech is Temple Lake Belton wide receiver Micah Hudson, ranked No. 1 in Texas and No. 7 in the nation by the 247Sports composite. Hudson caught 70 passes for 1,370 yards and 18 touchdowns this season for an 8-3 team. The year before, he caught 65 passes for 1,198 yards and 14 TDs.
Among the long list of schools reported to have offered Hudson a scholarship were Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State. He committed to Tech in September and stayed firm.
Other Tech pledges in the state's top 50 are Prosper offensive tackle Ellis Davis, Sachse defensive edge player Cheta Ofili, Pflugerville Weiss safety Peyton Morgan and Hutto quarterback Will Hammond.
The others in the top 100 composite ranking are Dripping Springs offensive tackle Jacob Ponton, Beckville running back J'Koby Williams, Pearland Dawson defensive end Eddy Smith, El Campo defensive back Oliver Miles, Lubbock-Cooper offensive lineman Holton Hendrix and Bryan wide receiver Tyson Turner.
The Red Raiders also have scholarships earmarked for Austin Crockett running back prospect Cameron Dickey, Dallas South Oak Cliff tight end Trey Jackson, Madisonville wide receiver Lorenzo Johnson and Shallowater offensive lineman Kasen Long.
Other defensive players pledged to Tech are Pearland Dawson defensive end Charles Anderson and four more defensive backs: Huntsville's Isaiah Collins, Killeen Shoemaker's Malik Esquerra, Pearland's Austin Hampton and Hawley's Chandlin Myers.
In other developments Tuesday, two more former Red Raiders with their names in the transfer portal committed to new schools. Wide receiver J.J. Sparkman pledged to UT-San Antonio and offensive tackle Monroe Mills announced for Louisville. Mills will join former Tech quarterback Tyler Shough, who previously committed to the Cardinals.
Late Monday, former Red Raiders receivers Myles Price and Jerand Bradley chose new teams, Price committing to Indiana and Bradley pledging to Boston College.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football recruiting class ranked No. 22 going into signing day
