Who is the second-most important player on Texas Tech's football roster?
Chris Level: I'm not sure that I can make a case for anyone other than Baylen Brown.
Texas Tech's offensive line is a question mark heading into the season. The starting unit will feature some new faces, and there is plenty of inexperience up and down the two-deep.
Brown is the exception. He has played every position up front during his time in Lubbock and is slated to play left tackle this season. If he's removed from the equation, the Red Raider offensive line goes from young and inexperienced to full-on panic mode.
I also considered Breiden Fehoko for many of the same reasons. If he is removed from Texas Tech's defensive line, the team doesn't have a whole lot else to work with on the interior. Scary thought.
Aaron Dickens: Last week's Roundtable was very difficult. That's not the case this week. As much as I would like to roll with something outside-the-box, Baylen Brown is the clear-cut answer here.
With 20-plus starts under his belt, Brown is easily the most experienced player on offense. He is slated to play left tackle, a hugely important position. And he part of a position group that is lacking in overall experience.
Those things all add up to a big burden for Brown. Not only will he have to make the offensive line better as a result of his play, but he also has to lead the group as well.
Will McKay: Being as he's the most important player on the team, Pat Mahomes is also - quite obviously - the most important player on the offense. The second-most important player on this team then is the most important player for this Red Raider defense, which would be sophomore safety Jah'Shawn Johnson.
Johnson is the top playmaker on David Gibbs' unit, and he's probably the biggest ball hawk to roam a Texas Tech defense since Darcel McBath was prowling around back in 2008, picking off balls left and right.
On top of that, Johnson is extremely physical, both in run support and against pass catchers.
Seeing as Gibbs' defense is predicated on getting as many turnovers as you can muster while also setting the tone with physicality against ball carriers, Johnson is an obvious pick.
Matt Clare: This was difficult to answer, but a player we never talk about was interviewed by Will during the open media day this weekend and it helped answer the question for me.
Backup quarterback Nic Shimonek is arguably the second-most important player on the Texas Tech football roster. Now, everyone go knock on wood or bad mouth me for posting some reverse jinx, etc. If we are all to believe how powerful and effective this Texas Tech offense can be, then we have to also believe that Shimonek can step in when called upon and put up some points for the Red Raiders.
In my opinion, Shimonek came off as a very confident guy during the interview with Will. Derrick Willies thought enough of Shimonek as a friend and player that he essentially followed him to Texas Tech. That is certainly no indication of talent or how well he can perform in a backup situation, but certainly worth noting.
There are plenty of worthy selections for this roundtable question, but Shimonek could be a lot more important to the Red Raiders than most believe.
Drew Kohnle: Starting left tackle Baylen Brown is the second-most important player on this upcoming Texas Tech team. This offense, and therefore this entire team, goes as Pat Mahomes goes. However, Mahomes will tell you himself that he only goes as far as his offensive line will take him. With the offensive line being a bit of a question mark going into this season, Brown is your stalwart on the line and your senior leader.
With fall camp opening up yesterday, the Red Raiders appear to have four of their five offensive line positions nailed down with several players battling it out for the final spot. By the time Stephen F. Austin gets to town on Sept. 3, Texas Tech could potentially be starting two redshirt freshmen and a lineman coming off of an ACL tear at three of their five positions up front. That's a group that needs Brown's veteran presence in the lineup.
