Rewind: Texas Tech's 2002 class

Mike Leach was not under the gun during the 2002 recruiting cycle. For the first time since he took over as Texas Tech's head coach, Leach didn't have to approach recruiting as an exercise in program triage. His 2000 class had to be assembled in just two short months, while his JUCO-heavy 2001 group reflected the program's need for immediate help.

And even though, at the time, the Red Raiders' 2002 recruiting efforts were not nearly as heralded as its immediate predecessor, this class represented a significant step forward for the program.

"We are very excited about this group of players," Leach said on National Signing Day in 2002. "This is a good, solid class for us. We addressed some immediate needs with a couple junior college players and we have added depth to our roster. We are particularly excited about our freshman class. We anticipate several of them to come in and make an immediate impact."

Texas Tech continued its focus on recruiting the Lone Star State in 2002, with 18 of its 24 signees coming directly from the Texas high school football ranks.

"The state of Texas has been the key recruiting area for us in my two years here," Leach said. "We've also been able to reach into the junior colleges and sign some outstanding athletes. The coaches and staff associated with our program deserve the credit for putting this class together."

The Red Raiders signed only three junior college prospects in 2002, down from seven the year before. Ironically, the lack of instant contributors was one of the reasons the class received a lukewarm reception from the media; the Red Raiders' 2002 haul ranked No. 48 nationally, but checked in at No. 10 in the Big 12 and second-to-last in the Big 12's South Division.

BIGGEST BUST: Ricky Wilson. He was only one of two of the Red Raiders' 2002 signees to never make it to campus. Wilson was one of Leach's top prep signees that year, and would have likely seen playing time as a true freshman had he ever made it to Lubbock. The frustrating thing, from a Texas Tech-perspective, is that he went on to play elsewhere (Houston, Northern Arizona) for four years and achieved moderate success.

Also considered: Brandon Douglas, Raymond Pierce

BIGGEST HOME RUN: Manny Ramirez. The Sugarland product was a fairly well-regarded prospect relative to others that the Red Raiders signed in 2002, but gets the nod here because he was a very, very good four-year starter. Ramirez ended his career on the South Plains in 2006 and was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

Also considered: Joel Filani, Jarrett Hicks

BEST OUT-OF-STATE SIGNING: Joel Filani. The two-star prospect chose Texas Tech over Washington State, his only other FBS offer. Filani burst onto the scene as a redshirt sophomore, catching five passes for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Red Raiders' Holiday Bowl victory over No. 4 Cal. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors as a junior and senior, and finished his career with a program-best 1,300 receiving yards in 2006.

Also considered: Brandon Jones, Johnnie Mack

STRENGTH OF THE CLASS: Offensive Line. This is an easy call. Texas Tech signed five players in its 2002 class that would end up on the offensive line, four of whom - Gabe Hall, Glenn January, Brandon Jones, Manny Ramirez -- were multi-year starters. The only miss in the group was Lance Lusk, who injured his knee after he signed with the Red Raiders and never really recovered.

WEAKNESS OF THE CLASS: Defensive Back. The only 2002 signee to have any sustained success as a defensive back was Vincent Meeks, a player who was originally signed to play running back. Not only was that the expectation, but he actually lined up in the backfield a few times as a true freshman. Ricky Wilson, the highly-touted prep player from Port Arthur, was a bust. Micah Sweats and Tim Norman both played a season as back-ups before leaving the program due to academics. Raymond Pierce started 10 games at free safety before being passed up Meeks, and was never really heard from again.