On the Gridiron
ESPN has a take on how recent 5-star Alex Ojo will fit with Texas Tech next year:
Scout’s take: Of the four offensive tackles ranked within the five-star range, Ojo is the least likely to be a plug-and-play candidate when he steps onto campus. He is ranked highly because he has excellent raw tools and arguably the highest ceiling for development.
He has elite length, consistently measuring in at 6-foot-6 with over an 80-inch wingspan and has shown he can use that length to his advantage. He is also a big man that has tested well and shows good flexibility. However, he is lean — at least 30 pounds lighter than the rest of the five-star tackles and needs to pack on more mass once he gets into the Red Raiders’ strength program. He can bend but needs to develop his footwork and be more consistent with his pad level and add the size to help counter power rushers.
Joey McGuire created a buzz when he signed in-state five-star receiver Micah Hudson in 2024, and, while that big signing has not met expectations, Hudson is back in the program and there is time and a wealth of ability to utilize. McGuire now has done it again by landing another five-star prospect from within the state in Ojo. While it might take time for Ojo’s impact to be felt, it is still a statement win on the recruiting trail. On the field, Ojo won’t face the same immediate expectations that Hudson arrived with and that is good for Ojo and his development.
The Red Raiders have worked the transfer portal well and their tackle spots will likely be manned by transfers backed up by a deep pool of freshmen within that unit. A larger spotlight will shine of Ojo at Texas Tech, but the Red Raiders still look likely to be in a position to give him some time to grow before needing to push him into action. If he develops, Ojo has the tools to be an all-conference, NFL-caliber tackle and anchor on the offensive line. — Haubert
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford has the most explosive offenses in college football for 2025:
Offensive strengths: Veteran quarterback, strong core up front
No Big 12 team pushed more resources toward the center of the table this offseason than the Red Raiders. Given the personnel losses on defense and questions at the back end, we expect Texas Tech to be one of the nation’s top-scoring offenses this fall given its sheer number of possessions. By necessity, the Red Raiders will have to produce through the air and find a replacement for Tahj Brooks in the run game.
ESPN has the EA Sports overall, offense, and defense rankings if that’s your thing.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese goes into how/why Felix Ojo committed to Texas Tech, including talking to his agent, Derrick Shelby of Prestige Management Group, who also represented NiJaree Canady. Giese reports that the difference in what Texas Tech is doing and other programs is that they are willing to give a portion of their revenue sharing pot, which programs are going to have to do, but again emphasizes that Texas Tech is ahead of the game.
On the Hardwood
USA defeated Germany 109 to 76, the USA seemed to just come at you in waves rather than a guy that dominated. Christian Anderson wasn’t as efficient, just 6 of 19 and 3 of 8 from deep with 5 boards, 9 assists, 4 steals, and 4 turnovers on the day. You can check out a full box score here. Anderson was named to the SwissBorg All-Star Five (this is like the all-tournament team) along with USA’s Mikel Brown, Jr. (who will play at Louisville), USA’s AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Germany’s Hannes Steinbach (Washington), and Slovenia’s Zak Smrekar. As an aside, Dybantsa is standing next to Steinbach and Steinbach is listed at 6’8″ and looks to be slightly taller than Dybantsa who is listed at 6’9″. I think Dybantsa is closer to 6’7″ than 6’9″.