David Bailey leads 3 Texas Tech Red Raiders on Bruce Feldman's 'Freaks List'

One of the most anticipated preseason traditions in college football is the unveiling of Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List" article. The annual project involves Feldman, The Athletic's NFL Draft analyst, gathering intel from players, coaches, scouts, agents, and more as he finds the 100 most physically talented, athletic marvels in college football.

It's a commendable achievement to be named to the Freaks List, a testament to your dominant physical traits; when a program earns multiple entrants, it can be a nod to scouting and development. After having one honoree in 2024 (offensive lineman Caleb Rogers), the Texas Tech Red Raiders came away with three mentions in 2025.

Pass rusher David Bailey led the way for the scarlet and black, landing inside the top 50 at No. 43. Among players with as many pass-rushing snaps as Bailey (217 in 2024), he had the second-highest pass-rush win percentage (27.5%) and the highest pass-rushing grade (93.2) in the country, even clearing Penn State's Abdul Carter.

The Stanford Cardinal transfer's snap-to-snap production can be attributed in part to his physical makeup. According to Feldman, the star edge defender bench pressed 405 pounds and squatted 550. He's not just strong — he recorded a max speed of 22.16 mph, abnormal for an athlete of his size (6'3" and 250 pounds).

On the offensive side, left tackle Howard Sampson slotted in at No. 80 after a strong season at North Carolina. The former three-star lineman out of Humble, Texas (per 247Sports), started his career with the North Texas Mean Green. After ranking outside of the top 200 prospects in the state heading into his college career, he is now being recognized as one of the 100 best athletes in college football as he enters Year 4.

Sampson played 824 snaps for the Tar Heels in 2024 and has the size required to be a standout blindside blocker at 6'8" and 335 pounds. However, he can move at his size, recording a speed of 17.24 mph, according to Feldman. He even bench pressed 385 pounds and squatted 605.

The Red Raiders' final entrant is another former transfer, but one who was with the team in 2024: guard Davion Carter. After starting 11 games for Texas Tech, Carter returns as the team's second-best returning pass-blocker and best returning run-blocker among offensive linemen, in terms of PFF grades.

The former Memphis Tigers transfer bench pressed an astounding 425 pounds and squatted another 655 this offseason, according to Feldman, while also recording a GPS speed of 18.88 mph at 6'0", 300 pounds.

As the Red Raiders prepare for a pivotal 2025 season, they can rely on their star athletes to help make the difference as they look to compete for a Big 12 title.

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