Texas Tech landed a load of commits this past week as they landed a commit from each of the four categories: 2017 class, 2018 class, 2019 class, and the grad transfer market. We take a look at each commit, recap the new offers, and take a look around the Big 12 in this week's notebook.
Tech adds 2017 late addition
Texas Tech received some good news Saturday night when Fullerton C.C. defensive end Quentin Yontz decided to commit and sign with the Red Raiders while on his official visit in Lubbock. Yontz fell in love with everything about Lubbock and Texas Tech while on his visit which is what led to the quick commit.
Now that he is a signed Red Raider, he will be on a mission to win games when he gets to Lubbock in just a few short weeks.
“To win games, you need guys who know how to win," Yontz told RRS following his decision. "Yeah, you can be a great person on the field, but if you don’t know how to win or don’t have the mindset of winning, then you can’t be very successful. I enjoy winning and that is my goal. As long as I can get other people in the mindset that we will win games and not be average and hopefully that will turn people around and get us where we need to be as a program. We will win games at Texas Tech.”
Thoughts on commit:
A late-addition like Yontz is usually a late-addition for a reason, however, he's definitely got a lot of positive attributes to work with when he gets to Lubbock. He has the size and ability to be a formidable rotation piece at defensive end. He's also more of a pass rusher than a run-stopper and can be moved around to find favorable the favorable matchups. He is versatile and provides the necessary depth for Tech after taking only one DL in February.
Tech lands 2018 WR commit
Tech received a blow to 2018 recruiting this past week when long-time commit Treveon Johnson re-opened his recruitment. Wide Receivers coach Emmett Jones then wasted no time in finding a wide receiver replacement for the 2018 class.
The Red Raiders offered Fulcher on Tuesday afternoon and Fulcher immediately responded with his intentions to commit to the Red Raiders.
“I said to myself a few weeks ago that if Texas Tech were to offer me, I was going to take it right away," Fulcher told RRS. "It is one of my favorite schools, it is my dream school. He (Emmett Jones) called me and offered me during fifth period today and told me I had a full ride. I committed on the spot.”
Thoughts on commit:
In a 1:1 comparison replacing Treveon Johnson with Corey Fulcher may seem like a head-scratcher, however, Jones is very high on Fulcher and his ability and versatility as a wide receiver prospect. Jones has done his due-diligence scouting Fulcher as he has been watching Fulcher since last September. He has also visited him multiple times this spring. With Fulcher really putting things together this spring, the offer was seemingly a "no-brainer" for coach Jones who was more than happy to get in early with the 6-foot-3 playmaker.
2019 DE picks Texas Tech
Texas Tech received a surprise on Thursday as OLB/DE Steven Parker committed to the Red Raiders shortly after receiving an offer a day earlier. With his connections to South Oak Cliff, Emmett Jones received a tip from the SOC coaches about the up-and-coming Parker. After watching him in practice and seeing his monstruous frame in person, Parker received an offer.
Parker and SOC have been visited by more than 20 schools over a two-week period but even with the potential for bigger offers down the road, Parker knew exactly where he wanted to be.
“I grew up in Lubbock and all my middle school years,” Parker said in an interview with RRS, “I wanted to go to Texas Tech and now that I had the opportunity, I just took it. Before I even got to middle school, I wanted to go to Texas Tech. It was an easy decision.”
Thoughts on commit:
Parker is well on his way to being about 250 to 260 pounds when it is all said and done. He will have to continue on his upward development trajectory but he has all the tools to be a big-time contributor either off the edge or even in the middle. He has received very little varsity reps so far, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the level of competition. He wants to "go home" to Lubbock but there will be plenty of competition that arises throughout the next few years. Tech getting in early should pay off.
Tech adds grad transfer
In attempt to add some immediate contributors on the offensive line, the Tech coaches have dipped into the grad transfer ranks. They added former Nebraska OL Dwayne Johnson a few weeks ago and kept the good times rolling with the addition of Dulaney. Dulaney is very familiar with coach Jones and the close team bond of the Red Raiders is what drew him to Lubbock.
“It is such a close-knit team," Dulaney told RRS. "They are so close. I could tell just by being there for only a couple days. It is real obvious how much the players and the coaches care about each other and really everybody in the community. I haven’t been around a football program like that since probably high school. It is a great feeling. It made me feel like this was definitely where I needed to be because I felt like I would fit right in with these guys and the dynamic of their team.”
Dulaney also wanted to make it clear that he didn't come to be a "depth guy" or ride the bench in his last year of CFB.
“From talking with coach, he told me that he is not bringing me out here to be a bench warmer. He said he isn’t bringing me out here to be a depth guy. He is bringing me out here to compete and compete for a starting job. That’s all I needed to hear from coach Jones. All I need is one opportunity to prove that I can play.”
Thoughts on commit:
A Power-Five football transfer who knows what it takes to make it as a college football player, has been in a D1 strength program for three years, and is coming to Lubbock with a chip on his shoulder....what's not to like? Jones believes that Dulaney could potentially play anywhere on the offensive line and if Dulaney comes in ready to work and seizes a starting role, that can only be a good thing as it will allow Tech to redshirt some talented freshmen. Dulaney's attitude as a leader and experience could also pay dividends for the OL unit.
New 2018 offers
“When he stopped by yesterday he said that I had great film and looked like a monster on the field," Antwine commented about the offer. "We didn’t have practice or anything yesterday, but I remember the look on his face when he walked in and saw me. He said that I looked like I was the perfect fit due to what he saw on film.”
“I think it was my aggression on film, how powerful I am, and how much I explode on film. He said they needed that at Tech which is why they offered me so quickly.”
"I love what they've done with the offense, the offense is kind of the crowned jewel on top of that team because of it's capabilities," Wright told RRS. "The fact that you can put up 55 points a game and be doing stuff like that, it's outstanding."
“They said they liked the fact that I move around well on the field, and they say I look fluid and like that I’m constantly running to the ball,” Wilkins said in an interview with RRS. “Just going by the film, they should know that I’m a big explosive player, I move well, and I feel like I’ll be able to make a big impact on the team.”
“I was happy that God blessed me with an offer from such an elite school," Benson said following the offer. "I’m very thankful for the opportunity. Tech offering me makes me feel like I could be one of the best players in the country. I feel really good. I am competing with myself to be the best and a Tech offer just adds to that.”
“They put out pro athletes, they have excellent athletes, and they have high-level competition. They play in a great league like the Big 12. They just produce players and they have that competition on the roster that will make you better. I love that a lot.”
Tech makes the cut for top prospects...
Potential late addition DB visiting Lubbock this weekend...
With a few left over scholarships from the 2017 class, the Tech coaches are in the process of utilizing all the open scholarships. They've taken a d-lineman, a couple grad transfers, a running back, and are in the process of adding another defensive back as well.
Their next target at defensive back comes from Allan Hancock C.C. DB Thomas Leggett. Leggett picked up an offer from Tech a couple weeks ago and will be in Lubbock this weekend. Classified as a 2018 grad, Leggett could commit and sign as a 2017 class member if he so desires.
"I'm going there for an official visit this weekend," Leggett said previewing the visit. "I was going to go this past weekend, but the head coach wasn't going to be there so we pushed it back a week and now I'm able to meet with him. My big thing will be the fit, even the campus and the university itself.
"I want to get to the next level, and I'm just excited to see the surrounding area and the football program. I want to make sure that it is somewhere that I will play for the next three years. The coaches told me that Lubbock is a big city within several smaller cities, a true college town that supports the program."
Around the Big 12
-Baylor added commits 11 and 12 this past week when DT Josh Landry and WR Kalon Barnes committed to the Bears. Both Landry and Barnes held Texas Tech offers.
-Kansas State is on the board with their first commit for the 2018 class as defensive tackle Jaylen 'Dill' Pickle committed to the Wildcats this week.
-Oklahoma State added commit number 11 this past week when three-star defensive back Kolby 'Banana' Peel committed to the Cowboys.
-TCU added commit number seven this week when Denton Guyer offensive lineman John Lanz committed to the Horned Frogs. Lanz held a Texas Tech offer.
-Texas continues on their recruiting tear in the state as they landed two prospects this past week. Austin (TX) kicker Cameron Dicker and four-star safety Caden Sterns committed to the Longhorns. Sterns, a long-time LSU commit, flipped to the Longhorns from the Tigers.
-The West Virginia added commit number five this week in Ohio three-star offensive lineman Alex Williams.
