Red Raider Review

Coaches, Recruits React as Texas Tech Inks 20-Player Class on National Signing Day

National Signing Day has passed, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders landed a class of 20 recruits for 2026, sparking reactions from coaches and players
Jordan Epp|
Frenship's Chase Campbell holds a signing day ceremony to cement his signing with Texas Tech, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in The Tiger Pit at Frenship High School.
Frenship's Chase Campbell holds a signing day ceremony to cement his signing with Texas Tech, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in The Tiger Pit at Frenship High School. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas Tech Red Raiders

A lot is going well for No. 4 Texas Tech in 2025, but the football team got its 2026 season started with National Signing Day on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The Red Raiders signed 20 recruits for the Class of 2026, bringing in the next generation for the scarlet and black.

Texas Tech's class was ranked 18th by 247Sports and 20th by On3/Rivals; it was also ranked first in the Big 12 by both platforms. The class was headlined by its talented trench players with multiple exciting skill players.

Five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo was the Red Raiders' top recruit, ranked 13th in the country by 247Sports' Composite Rankings. He has been very vocal online and was active in the recruiting process, often leaving comments on recruits' posts.

The Mansfield, Texas, product said he was interested in Tech because of the "culture, family atmosphere, and the people surrounding it. Ojo, never shy on social media, posted a clear message after signing on with Tech: "Ready To Bring A Legacy To The 806!"

The Red Raiders brought in another five-star who will line up opposite Ojo in practice: edge rusher LaDamion Guyton. He was originally part of the 2027 recruiting class but reclassified to join the 2026 class.

Guyton was the top recruit in Georgia, ranked 15th nationally, and fourth at his position, according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings. Several high-profile programs heavily recruited him, but he officially signed with the Red Raiders on Wednesday, having committed in August.

Another exciting recruit is Guyton's high school teammate, quarterback Stephen Cannon. He is a three-star recruit from Savannah, Ga. He and Guyton were two of six athletes at Benedictine Military School to sign with Division I programs.

Assistant head coach/passing game coordinator Justin Johnson showed him love, saying on X, "CANNON GOT A CANNON #LETITFLY." Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire shouted him out on social media, posting on X, "QB1 is official!!!!! Lets gooooooooooo."

Cannon will join the Red Raiders in 2026, with Will Hammond expected to be the starter with Behren Morton graduating. Hammond is recovering from a season-ending injury, which could shake up the room if he is not ready to go for the fall. Mitch Griffis and Lloyd Jones III could be in the mix for starter reps if this is the case, and Cannon could develop behind them.

Regardless of who starts in Week 1 next season, they should have several pass-catching weapons, including four-star wide receiver Chase Campbell. He is the 94th-ranked recruit in his class, and with the recruiting process behind him, he said it is "time to get to work."

"One of the best overall athlete/wrs in the nation," said Texas Tech director of player personnel Brian Nance. "Chase has elite ball skills and route running ability and Yards after the catch he’s a big play waiting to happen."

He is joined on offense by a pair of four-stars: running back Ashton "Ace" Rowden and offensive tackle Bryce Gilmore.

Gilmore, the 19th-ranked tackle in his class, originally pledged to Arkansas in June before flipping to Tech in September; he was pursued by several programs across the South. According to On3, Gilmore said, "Texas Tech believed in me before anyone else. I'm ready to give everything I have to this program."

Meanwhile, Rowden, the 5'11" running back from New Boston, Texas, is ranked 23rd at his position, but that ranking is not high enough for Texas Tech general manager James Blanchard. He said on X, "The Best RB in Texas is coming to Lubbock. Complete package."

Rowden had a message of his own, though, saying, "I’m home ! 🏡 Let’s work 😤."

Other high-profile offensive recruits included offensive tackle Jacob Crow, interior offensive lineman Jerald Mays, and wide receiver Imari Jehiel. Crow is a three-star recruit from Tennessee, while Mays and Jehiel are in-state prospects from Pflugerville and Forney, respectively.

Crow shared his emotions on National Signing Day, saying he was pumped up from the moment he woke up. When asked what made him feel at peace with his commitment to Texas Tech, he said it was the "coaching staff, how much they push the players, and the environment."

However, Crow and the Alcoa Tornadoes are preparing for the Tennessee 4A state championship on Saturday, Dec. 6. McGuire made sure not to lose sight of this, cheering on the future Red Raider and his team: "Go win State."

Jihiel is a talented receiver with a track background as a high-jumper, sprinter, and hurdler. He is a dynamic multi-phase player on the gridiron. The three-star pass-catcher said Tech felt like home from the first moment he visited.

"I'm a great receiver, and if you get the ball in my hands, that's six," Jihiel said.

Lining up alongside Crow, Mays received significant praise from McGuire as well. The 300-pound offensive lineman from Weiss High School has a multi-sport background and athletic upside. He started the season at center and gave up zero sacks.

McGuire must see a bright future in the interior lineman, saying, "Future Captain!!!"

On defense, the Red Raiders brought in a very talented crop of athletes, particularly in the secondary. Tech had a five-person cornerback class, with several players receiving high praise from the coaches.

Luke Hamilton, a three-star corner from New Braunfels, Texas, was ranked outside of the top 250 players in the state, but that is not how the staff views it. Blanchard said Hamilton is "probably the most underrated player in this class," calling him an "athletic ball player."

He will be joined by several other cornerbacks, all in-state products. S'Vioarean Martin and Donovan Webb were four-star recruits from Palestine and Frisco, both ranking inside the top 40 at their position. Maddox Quiller is a three-star corner from Pflugerville, and Noah Lewis is a three-star from Terrell; the Red Raiders also added a three-star safety from Fort Worth, Aaron Bradshaw.

Blanchard said Webb reminded him of junior safety Brenden Jordan, who finished fifth on the team in tackles in 2025 while adding an interception and a forced fumble.

Martin also stood out to Nance, who said he has good length, ball skills, and fluid hips. Nance said that Martin will be "making plays for [a long] time here at Texas Tech."

About Bradshaw, Nance said that the Red Raiders got a safety with ball skills who plays with an edge. "[DFW] let us setal one!" he said.

McGuire had one word in mind when describing cornerback recruit, Quiller: "Speed." Meanwhile, Lewis had a one-word post in reaction to his signing: "Blessed🙏"

The recruiting class is rounded out by the front seven, a unit that has starred for Tech in 2025. Looking to replenish the juice up front, the Red Raiders added several top recruits, including Guyton, who Blanchard called the "best edge rusher in the country."

However, several interesting recruits will be ready to get dirty at the line of scrimmage. Four-star linebacker recruit Kaegan Ash has made headlines for his record-breaking run of offensive production at Mount Enterprise. He is joined in the middle by Cord Nolan, a three-star linebacker from Bixby, Okla.

Nance had more positive words for both inside linebackers, saying Nolan has an "itch for finding the football," which will fit well in Wood's system. He also said Ash is "one of the best players in the nation," saying "his versatility and movement skills and game breaking skills [are] some of the best on tape."

On the line of scrimmage, Tech had three recruits who will battle with Guyton against opposing offenses. Krush Johnson, a three-star recruit, plays on the inside and shows off his strength. Johnson is from Amarillo, staying in West Texas.

"I'm going to try my hardest," Johnson said. "I'm going to bring everything I got to the game. Let's go, Red Raiders."

Alongside Johnson is another interior defender with the same name, though he comes from Mount Pleasant in East Texas; Ayden Johnson is another strong IDL with a shot put background, showing off his strength and his 300+ pound frame. "Blessed for this opportunity," Johnson said on X.

On the edge, Demarcus Marks is a valuable prospect from the Houston area, who Nance described as having good bend, flexibility, twitch, and violent hands. Meanwhile, McGuire simply called him a "QB Hunter!"

Marks has recorded nine sacks over the last two seasons, according to MaxPreps, adding 31 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hurries.

The Red Raiders put together a very impressive class and have a similarly elite class brewing in 2027 behind the scenes. The future of Texas Tech is bright, and the man in charge is all in on his newest players: "So fired up about these guys!"

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Jordan Epp
JORDAN EPP

Jordan Epp is a journalist who graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 and is passionate about telling stories, sharing news, and finding ways to entertain people through the medium of sports. He has formerly worked as a writer and editor at The Battalion and The Eagle, covering football in College Station, Texas, and served as the managing editor for PFSN.

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