Red Raiders Add Former 4-Star Wide Receiver, Complete New-Look Passing Offense
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Almost everything is brand new for the Texas Tech Red Raiders' passing offense. The team will be led by transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who had a strong, promising season with the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2025. Paired with offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich, the Red Raiders hope to repeat as a top-five offense in 2026.
However, most of the key contributors to the passing game from 2025 will not be returning, with quarterback Behren Morton, wide receivers Caleb Douglas and Reggie Virgil, and tight end Johncarlos Miller II all graduating and/or heading to the NFL.
The Red Raiders did not sit idly by, though. With their offensive future in question, they added playmakers in the passing game, with the most recent addition being a former four-star recruit from Auburn: Malcolm Simmons.
Simmons is the newest addition to the new-look offense for the scarlet and black. He joins wide receivers Donte Lee Jr. (Liberty), Jalen Jones (South Alabama), and Kenny Johnson (Pitt), as well as tight end Jett Carpenter (Nevada), through the transfer portal.
Paired with returning wide receiver Coy Eakin and tight end Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech has rebuilt its cohort of pass catchers. Paired with their trio of running backs — Cameron Dickey, J'Koby Williams, and Quinten Joyner — the offense is built to compete.
The losses of Douglas and Virgil will not be easy to replace. They combined for 39.8% of the team's receiving yards (1,551), 34.8% of the receptions (111), and 39.4% of the receiving touchdowns (13). Eakin, though, is returning after his second consecutive season with 625+ yards and 6+ touchdowns. He provides flexibility with the ability to line up both on the inside and outside.
The new wide receiver unit presents players with a variety of skill sets. Jones is a dynamic after-the-catch playmaker out of the slot, while Lee and Johnson are big-play threats on the outside.
Meanwhile, Simmons provides similar versatility to Eakin, playing in the slot or on the outside as a flanker. He can run routes deep or catch a quick pass, recording a PFF receiving grade of over 90+ at both levels (0-9 yards: 93.1; 20+: 94.2).
Auburn generated three big offensive plays in the Iron Bowl (one negated by a penalty).
— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) December 1, 2025
33-yard TD to Malcolm Simmons (Illegal Formation)
64-yard TD to Malcolm Simmons
66-yard completion to Malcolm Simmons - led to 2-yard TD run by Jeremiah Cobb https://t.co/Sj3DgW1hoo pic.twitter.com/DwITJHqlT9
In 2025, the Red Raiders maintained a streamlined wide receiver rotation. Eakin, Douglas, and Virgil dominated the reps, with no other wide receiver recording more than 60 passing-down snaps. The only wide receiver to play more than 40 was sophomore Micah Hudson (55), who is also returning for his junior year.
With four new wide receivers, the Red Raiders could be targeting more than just depth. The move could be an effort to add enough pass catchers for a proper rotation. There was an exodus of Tech's young wide receivers to the transfer portal, and it is possible that the coaching staff limited their snaps because they did not yet trust them on the field.
Simmons is coming off a strong end to his 2025 season, as he looks to carry his momentum into the upcoming season. He recorded at least 140 receiving yards in each of the Tigers' last two games. He had consecutive seasons of 450+ yards and averaged over 18 yards per catch as a sophomore.
Still awaiting a formal breakout, the former four-star wideout from Alabama has the athletic potential to be a dominant wide receiver. He has shown it in flashes but has yet to put it together for a full season.
Playing alongside one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal, Sorsby, Simmons could have every opportunity to live up to his potential. However, the Red Raiders will have competition for reps, with all four transfer portal additions coming off strong seasons.
Texas Tech Portal Additions' Stats (Class) in 2025
- Donte Lee Jr. (Redshirt Junior): 32 receptions, 589 yards, five touchdowns
- Jalen Jones (Redshirt Sophomore): 51 receptions, 1,167 yards, nine touchdowns
- Kenny Johnson (Junior): 48 receptions, 695 yards, five touchdowns
- Malcolm Simmons (Sophomore): 25 receptions, 457 yards, two touchdowns
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-43389ae7766a84cbb8a6c33939d17968.jpeg "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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