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Texas Tech set to sign 2016 class

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T.J. Vasher
T.J. Vasher ()
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National Signing Day is here! Over the course of the next 12 hours, prospects from across the country will sign with Texas Tech and officially join Kliff Kingsbury's Red Raider football program.

Texas Tech's recruiting class begins the day ranked No. 43 in the nation -- No. 5 in the Big 12 -- but that is sure to change as undecided prospects begin to make their college choices.

DRAMA FREE SIGNING DAY

Unlike in years past, barring a late surprise, the Red Raiders will not be awaiting decisions from any prospects on Wednesday. In fact, Texas Tech's 2016 recruiting class has been almost completely in place since the summer, with just four prospects -- Kevin Moore, Desmon Smith, Bailey Smith and Douglas Coleman -- committing after the beginning of football season.

This drama-free road to National Signing Day is even more surprising considering Kingsbury has had to replace five of his assistants over the last two months. Yet despite the staff attrition, the Red Raiders' 2016 class has been defection-free.

LITTLE JUCO FLAVOR

Just three of Texas Tech's 25 commitments hail from the junior college ranks -- Derrick Willies, DeQuan Bowman and Mychealon Thomas -- continuing a trend that started with just one JUCO take in the 2015 class.

This is fairly unusual for the Red Raiders, as the program has typically been fairly active in the junior college ranks over the last 15 years. In the 2012-14 classes combined, Texas Tech signed a total of 24 JUCO prospects.

OTHER NOTES

* After signing just two out-of-state prospects in last year's class, Texas Tech's recruiting footprint expanded significantly in 2016. The team is set to ink eight prospects from five different states who played their high school or junior college football outside of Texas.

* Four of Texas Tech's commitments are ranked in the Rivals.com Texas Top 100: T.J. Vasher, Da'Leon Ward, Jett Duffey and Bryson Denley.

* For the first time since 2010 (Lawrence Cayou), the Red Raiders are set to sign a prospect from Louisiana. In fact, they are set to welcome three Bayou State products into the fold: Douglas Coleman, Kevin Moore and Johnathan Picone. Texas Tech is also dipping back into Oklahoma for just the second time in the last six classes with Noah Jones.

* Two of the Red Raiders' 2016 commits were committed to other programs before ultimately choosing the Double T: Desmon Smith (Texas State) and Douglas Coleman (Tulane).

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