ESPN's Dan Wetzel highlights key factor holding Texas Tech back

While Texas has long been a fertile ground for high school football talent, the competition to hold a market share is fierce. Texas and Texas A&M have dominated the NIL era of recruiting, while other power conference players, such as TCU, Baylor, and SMU, are fighting for attention. However, Texas Tech has been pushing its way into the conversation.

The Red Raiders had a top-25 recruiting class in 2024, according to 247Sports, and are back in the fold for 2026 after landing a key commitment from five-star tackle Felix Ojo over top programs like Texas. Most notably, Texas Tech secured the No. 2 class in the 2025 transfer portal, signaling a shift in the approach in the NIL era.

"Why shouldn't Texas Tech get great players? Why shouldn't great players want to play at Texas Tech? There's nothing inherently wrong with Texas Tech," said ESPN's Dan Wetzel on ESPN's "College GameDay."

With a strong fan base and potent recruiting grounds, Texas Tech's emergence as a recruiting power may have been a long time coming, though one key issue could be what has held the program back despite its obvious advantages.

"It's a great place to go to school, the campus is beautiful, they got great facilities, great coaches, great fans. Everyone's fired up," Wetzel said. "The only thing that's held them back through the years, or one of the only things, is Lubbock's distance from players."

Very true and well said, @DanWetzel. Texas Tech is the most beautiful place on Earth and should be recognized as such. pic.twitter.com/i76tNDsPxq
— 𝚂𝚔𝚢𝚕𝚎𝚛 (@imstillskyler) July 23, 2025

In a state as expansive as Texas, public schools are not always as local as in other states. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the closest major metro area to Lubbock, is roughly a five-hour drive. Austin, El Paso, and San Antonio are similar distances, and Houston is more than seven hours away as well.

However, the Red Raiders are building their reputation, one that could potentially supersede the distance as Texas Tech competes at the top of the Big 12.

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