Tuesday March 19th marked the first day of Texas Tech football spring practice. It also led to the return of recruits visiting campus as the Red Raider coaches continue to recruit athletes in the 2025, 2026 and future classes.
One prospect who was able to make the trip to Lubbock was 2026 Grandview (TX) athlete Jaleal Allen.
Following the visit Allen spoke with RedRaiderSports to recap his time in West Texas and the latest in his recruitment.
What you need to know...
... Allen holds one offer to date, from NAIA North American University
... As a sophomore Allen caught 41 passes for 582 receiving yards, put up 80 rushing yards, threw for 209 yards and amassed 26 total touchdowns. He was also a standout on defense with 22 tackles and 8 interceptions.
... Following the season Allen was named the District 7-3A Special Teams Player of the Year
... On the track Allen is part of Grandview's 4x100 Relay and 4x200 Relay teams
Texas Tech visit: "When I got there I was greeted by a recruiter who helped with the entire day. I met all the coaches and recruiters. I went through the team meeting, then moved to the position meetings. I toured the entire campus. I wasn’t able to get on the main field or locker room due to construction but we finished the day watching their first spring practice.
My favorite part of the visit was the coaches and recruiters making me feel like family, they were very greeting to me. They made me feel welcome although I’m not a very recruited prospect they still gave me their time and attention. What stuck out to me was their new stadium, it is going to be one of the best stadiums in all of college football."
Connection with the staff: "I was able to connect with coach (Marcel) Yates the secondary coach. He was very welcoming to me along with coach (Zarnell) Fitch, he was a very big personality and he brought the energy. Coach (James) Blanchard is the only coach that I’ve talked to through messages consistently, he was the one that helped me set this visit up."
Overall interest in Texas Tech: "I really love the culture around there, it seems like everyone loves their job and everyone supports all the athletes. Being a Red Raider would make me very happy that’s definitely a college I'd like to attend."
What he brings to the field: "What I bring to the field is explosive playmaking, along with great coverage defensively and the ability to make solid tackles. I also bring lots of leadership, I’m very vocal to my teammates on the field so we can always be on the same page."
Other schools showing interest: "I haven’t really been hearing from schools about scholarship offers. UTSA and Tarleton State have said they like my film and want me to come to their camp in the summer."
Off-season plans: "What's next for me is to just put my head down and work on all the little things technique wise, along with my speed, athleticism, size and strength. But I plan on going to mega camps this summer, Texas Tech being one of them."
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