Jalin Conyers is one of a select few athletes from the Panhandle region of Texas to make it out and make the jump to big time, high-major college sports. Over the last five years or so, the Amarillo area, in particular, produced several football student-athletes who took their talents to various parts of the state.
Avion Carter and Major Everhart, both of Amarillo Tascosa, made their way to TCU. Brenen Thompson, a speedy wideout who hails from Lady Raiders head coach Krista Gerlich’s hometown of Spearman, has now played on either side of the Red River game for Texas and Oklahoma.
Point being, Conyers, like many of these other great West Texas products, has spent several years around college football. Yet, like these names listed alongside his, it had never been for the team that many of them grew up only hours down the road from.
It is now common knowledge around these parts that Conyers is originally of Gruver, and his connections to Texas Tech started with his grandfather taking him to games at Jones AT&T Stadium when he was a child. The fifth-year tight end has enjoyed a pit stop in Norman and a long-haul stay in Tempe with Arizona State but can now realize the long-standing dream of suiting up for the Red Raiders.
“I think it should be like super surreal,” Conyers said during Texas Tech’s local media day session Tuesday. “I was talking to my mom, it’s gonna be the first time like all of my family can come to the same game, it’s always been split up before. It’s gonna be kind of surreal, I would not be surprised if I got emotional just because it is kinda my last time, you know, school wise and all that, having them involved.
It’s a lot, but I’m super excited, I have great teammates around me, obviously a great fanbase. I’ve grown up a Tech fan so I’ve seen what it’s like, I’m super excited to get The Jones rocking August 31.”
Conyers, who turned 23 on July 25, has seen the various ups-and-downs of what it means to be a college student-athlete. After his time at Oklahoma had reached its end, Conyers sought out for a new place to call home, finding it out west with the Sun Devils. ASU comes to Lubbock for the Big 12 opener the fourth week of the season, a game that Conyers admittedly is looking forward to.
“I won’t say too much on it, but it’s definitely circled in my room and my closet door, I’m excited for that one, for sure,” he said.
With Conyers finding his third place-to-call-home in Lubbock, the process was a lot smoother than when he left the Sooners. Making a decision between Texas Tech and another program considered to be the elite of college football was one that Conyers made rather quickly.
“Really quick honestly, quicker than I thought,” Conyers said of his transfer portal process the second time around. “I kind of had it narrowed down already when I went into the portal just from if these teams offer me this is what I’m looking for. Pretty quickly I had it narrowed down to here and Georgia and after talking to both coaches and knowing what I wanted in a program, I thought coming home was gonna be the best option. It moved pretty quickly for me, faster than I thought and I was committed within, I want to say, after the first visit here I was ready to go after a week and a half. Happened fast, but definitely happy with my decision.”
Conyers missed Texas Tech’s spring session with a foot injury, but will be full speed for fall camp ahead of the 2024 campaign. Conyers’ return to action has been gradual but over the summer he was able to work with one of the NFL’s best as he looks to put the final stamp on what has been a consistently solid collegiate career.
“I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to go (to Nashville) for about a week and I trained with George Kittle, Tommy Tremble and a couple other NFL guys,” Conyers said. “I learned a lot, got to get in the film room with him (Kittle), work out with him and just learn a bunch of stuff about route concepts and defenses. Very fortunate to get to do that, I got to hang out with him and see what he was like, see how crazy it is with his schedule and I learned a lot about the difference between a college athlete and NFL athlete.
Getting to do that was definitely a blessing. I learned a lot, bringing a lot of it to fall camp, I still have some cut ups and notes I took from him that I’m gonna bring in and try to go to coach (Josh) Cochran or other guys that need it.”
Conyers brings a vast skill set to Lubbock, a callback to his high school days at West Texas and Gruver when he would often line up at either tight end, wide receiver and quarterback.
Head coach Joey McGuire said the staff has dabbled in various ideas of where Conyers can make the biggest impact, ranging anywhere from tight end, wildcat QB, or lining him up out wide. Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley said Conyers is “your true new age tight end,” likening this archetype as the “Travis Kelce-type guy” who could see himself used in a variety of ways.
It is this versatility that has helped Conyers solidify himself as a mainstay collegiate tight end and one of the nation’s best at the position. Conyers’ longevity, now in his fifth season, has also meant he has seen a true progression of not just Texas Tech, but college football as a whole, seeing the transfer portal and NIL take off in recent years.
“It’s crazy, I think going from the year I came in where there was no NIL and it was just straight up school and football, to now you’re talking about players getting paid and revenue sharing,” Conyers said. “It’s been a wild ride, but I think it’s just rolling with the punches. It’s turned from college football to kind of like minor league football.
For me, I don’t think my mindsets ever changed, I think my goal has always been to make it to the NFL, I don’t think I’ve ever slipped on that path. I knew all the money and that stuff comes at the end. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve got to be around a lot of good coaches and a lot of good players. This being my last year I want to make the best of it.”
It was through an NIL deal that Conyers and several other Red Raiders were able to take part in a youth football camp in Wheeler, a small town around three hours northwest of Lubbock.
Gruver is about an hour drive from Wheeler and Conyers was able to instill his knowledge into the youth that are coming up in a similar atmosphere to his upbringing. Whether it had been at Oklahoma or ASU, where he earned the nickname “Corn” from Gruver’s farming ties, Conyers always showed pride in where he is from.
Back in the 806, one last time, that sentiment does not appear to be changing anytime soon.
“It’s a blessing,” Conyers said. “I’m not shy to tell people where I grew up, even if they don’t know where it's at, you know… it’s a blessing to be able to carry the 806 tag on my back, the Gruver name on my back. That’s just my job, I want to make everyone proud from there and from the area.”
******************************************************************************************
Join the conversation with other Red Raiders on the Inside The Double T forum.
Subscribe today to get the most in-depth Texas Tech sports and recruiting coverage.
Follow us on X: @RedRaiderSports
Like and follow us on Instagram @rrs_rivals & like us on Facebook.
******************************************************************************************
