On July 3rd longtime Texas Tech wide receiver commit Isaiah Robertson flipped to SMU. It took less than 24 hours for the Red Raider staff to find his replacement, and they didn't have to go too far to find him.
Lubbock-Cooper wideout Michael Dever, formerly committed to Colorado State, made his decision to instead stay home and play for Joey McGuire's program.
As a junior the 6-foot-2, 175 pound Dever put up 40 receptions for 672 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, breaking LCP's single-season receiving touchdown record.
"I just felt like (Texas Tech) was a better opportunity for me. The Big 12 is getting more looks than any other conference just because Prime Time came in and then you got Travis Hunter and there's a wide receiver at UCF, I forgot his name. But yeah like Texas Tech is just growing and still growing."
Dever was initially offered back on May 31st after lighting up Texas Tech's first summer camp of the off-season. Unfortunately, he also suffered a broken collarbone during the camp which ended the rest of his off-season.
"How the offer went down was... I broke my collarbone maybe like at the end of camp and it was on a go ball. (Joey) McGuire came up to me saying that you were a good player. He didn't offer me right there but he was just saying that 'you were a good player and I'm looking at you and I have eyes on you'. Then a few minutes later I figured out I broke my collarbone so that went down. Then when I was about to leave, McGuire came to my families car and he was telling me that 'hey you got an offer from here, you're a dude, I liked how you competed today'.
I felt pretty good after just because maybe I broke my collarbone but at least I got an offer. But then I broke my collarbone so I can't go to any more camps like that. I was happy but now it's time to heal and do it all over again."
About 5 weeks removed from the collarbone injury, Dever's recovery is going well and he expects to be back in time for the 2024 season.
"It's going good. I just had my stiches removed and it was not even so wrong that...I felt like it went by quick. Like I healed pretty quick and yes, I'll be ready before the season."
While the two haven't talked all that much yet, Dever is looking forward to continuing to build a connection with his future position coach, Juice Johnson.
"We haven't really talked but I feel like our connection could be something. He's a good guy, I can see that so I feel like we got a lot of communicating to get to."
Dever initially planned on taking his official visit to Texas Tech in the middle of June, but the visit got pushed back when the wide receiver spots in Tech's 2025 class dried up. Instead look for Dever to take his official visit sometime during the season though he's not yet sure when exactly that will be.
Dever is now done with his recruitment and is looking forward to showing his skills on the field for Texas Tech fans.
"Me going out there and showing what I got. That's what they should be ready for, really."
Dever was named a National High School Track & Field And Cross Country Coaches Association All-American after setting a personal record with a High Jump of 6-foot-8 this spring. Also also competes for Lubbock-Cooper in the 4x200 Relay and the Long Jump (21 feet, 11 inches).
Dever is the 18th commitment of Texas Tech's 2025 class and fifth wide receiver, joining Tristian Gentry, Isaiah Anderson Jr, Leyton Stone and Bryson Jones.
Should Dever sign with Texas Tech, it'll mark the third consecutive year for a Lubbock-Cooper Pirate to do so, joining Kaden Carr in the 2023 class and Holton Hendrix in the 2024 class.
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