Red Raiders to keep an eye on during NFL Draft weekend

Starting Thursday night, the NFL will welcome in a new class of athletes that will look to make their stamp on the game of football. Texas Tech has been very fortunate in recent memory in the NFL Draft with several first round picks in the last decade in Patrick Mahomes, Jordyn Brooks and Tyree Wilson.

While this year’s draft might not feature any Red Raiders going in Day 1, let’s instead take a look at those who could hear their name called or earn a contract in the coming days.

There’s no other player on this list who did more for their draft stock than Rabbit did, both in his play during the season and in the draft process postseason. Entering the year, Taylor-Demerson’s hype was essentially non-existent but an All-Big 12 second team showing in 2023 led to his boom in the scouting ranks.

Rabbit posted a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and NFL.com gave him a 6.28 out of 8 grade, projecting him to eventually become a starter.

Taylor-Demerson’s versatility could end up becoming his biggest trait. He believes he can play all five positions in the secondary and this could help alleviate some of the questions about his physical stature at 5-foot-10, 197 pounds.

Rabbit is projected to be a Round 3 selection by several sites and was recently mocked to go No. 95 to the Chiefs by PFF.com.

A year after producing one of the more physically imposing EDGE rushers in the draft, Tech has the chance to provide another athletic freak to the league with Myles Cole.

The biggest talking point for Cole is his measurables. One of the taller EDGE rushers at the combine at 6-foot-6, coupled with his ridiculous 7-foot-3 wingspan, Cole is a project with major upside.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com projects Cole to be a fifth round pick, with the idea that Cole’s lack of college production can be overshadowed by his elite measurables.

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Cole Spencer’s pre-draft process has helped raise his stock back up a bit after missing a large chunk of 2023 and all of 2022.

At 6-foot-3, 307 pounds, Spencer offered a big surprise at the Big 12 Pro Day event when he posted a 4.89 40-yard dash, which would have been the fastest at the main combine.

Spencer has received some serious attention from the Tennessee Titans and could earn an opportunity either as a late round selection or a UDFA.

One of the Red Raiders’ most reliable playmakers over the last several seasons, White has the potential to end up on a roster due to his versatility.

Throughout his career, White has played slot receiver, running back and returned kicks in both kickoff and punt scenarios. At the Big 12 Pro Day, White was one of the fastest in attendance, both in his 4.45u 40 and his GPS time of 20.07 mph.

Look for White to potentially earn training camp opportunities, with the chance to make a serious career out of it with his vast array of skills.

McNamara will certainly earn a chance at the next level and his production at Texas Tech made him the best punter in program history.

McNamara only allowed returns on about 18 percent of his punts in 2023, one of the best marks in the class of punters.

Boasting a season average of 46.3 yards per punt, McNamara will likely earn a UDFA deal and a legit shot at making a 53-man roster.

It’s hard to ignore the kind of production that Hutchings had in his six seasons at Texas Tech, which makes him a viable candidate to earn at least a training camp nod.

Hutchings logged over 2,700 snaps in his time as a Red Raider, showing excellent ability as a run stuffer with flashes of quickness and twitch in pass rush situations.

Owens somewhat falls into the same category as Myles Cole, with his measurables and athleticism offering an intriguing product on the field.

Though Owens made headlines the week of the combine for his space thoughts, he also impressed onlookers with his 12’2” broad jump, second-longest in combine history. Had it not been for a hamstring injury, Owens would have been vying for the fastest 40 at the event, something he and many others believed could have been a very real possibility.

There are questions about Owens’ ability as a true cover safety, but his athletic abilities could make him a special teams demon.