The Texas Tech coaches added a surprise commitment to the 2023 class on Wednesday afternoon in Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal athlete Chris Palfreeman.
It's a surprise because in mid-November Palfreeman cut his list of offers down to a top five...which didn't include the Red Raiders. Arkansas, Texas A&M, Texas, SMU and Baylor were thought to be the favorites in the mix for the talented speedster.
However, a weekend visit to Lubbock and a strong connection with the Texas Tech coaches made the difference, and now Palfreeman will play his college football in the scarlet and black.
"Coach Emmett Jones, he gave me an offer when he was at Kansas and we've stayed in touch, so I knew him through that. Coach (Joey) McGuire, the day he became head coach at Texas Tech he re-offered me. Coach Kenny (Perry), he comes up to my school a lot so me and him got a good relationship and I talk to him a lot.
I chose Texas Tech because the coaches make it feel like a family. On my visit they showed real love. I got to see the whole campus, the locker room, put on the jerseys, eat food, stuff like that."
For Palfreeman, an opportunity to play wide receiver in a Zach Kittley-led offense was also very intriguing. After all, Kittley's Western Kentucky unit threw the ball an average of 50 times for 434 yards per game last season.
"Yeah, definitely. I'm gonna be playing a lot of slot. Really just all over the field, but we're gonna be throwing the ball a lot for sure. Basically the coaches said they like the way I move, my speed and my shiftiness."
The visit to Lubbock was Palfreeman's second to Lubbock, as he came up several years ago for a game when he was younger.
"It was my second time. I came up a few years ago as a kid."
One of Palfreeman's teammates in 2021, Jace Lowe, signed with the Red Raiders as a preferred walk-on offensive lineman as part of the 2022 class. Palfreeman says Lowe reached out and congratulated him on his commitment.
Now that he's done with the process, look for Palfreeman to put his recruiting hat on to try and bring others to Texas Tech with him.
"Recruiting others around the country and stuff like that? Probably (laughs). Devin Bell, he's a defensive back from Skyline, I wanna try and get him to Tech."
Palfreeman is a multi-sport athlete who is currently in the middle of track season while also playing some 7v7. His outdoor personal record in the 100 meter is 10.54, which he ran in 2020.
"I'm playing a little bit of 7v7 when I have time, track right now and a bunch of training. I run the 100 meter, 200 meter, 4x100 meter, 4x200 meter, 4x400 meter.
I might run track at Tech, we'll see."
Palfreeman, who last season put up 1,234 total yards and four touchdowns, says Texas Tech fans should expect to see a playmaker next season in Lubbock, TX.
"Off the field I don't really do much, I chill. On the field you can see me, I'll be shifty, catching deep balls, things like that. Seeing me play my game and do me."
Palfreeman is currently rated by Rivals as a 5.6 three-star recruit, which is worth 75 points in the Rivals Team Recruiting Rankings. Palfreeman's commitment keeps Texas Tech with a solid grasp on the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, just 43 points behind Notre Dame.
