Texas Tech Beats Out Georgia, Lands Top Recruit In The Country
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders shocked the country after swaying top 2026 recruit Felix Ojo to West Texas, coming in at the last second to win him over in-state rivals the Texas Longhorns.
Now, they have done it again, but for the 2027 recruiting cycle. landing the number one playing in the country according to Rivals, LaDamion Guyton.
This time. they swayed him from the Georgia Bulldogs, and perhaps even more importantly, he was an in-state recruit for Kirby Smart's team and he still chose the Red Raiders, signaling a shift in the recruiting landscape.
Who Is LaDamion Guyton?
BREAKING: Five-Star EDGE LaDamion Guyton has Committed to Texas Tech, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 7, 2025
The 6’3 235 EDGE from Savannah, GA chose the Red Raiders over Georgia, Tennessee, & Florida State
He’s the No. 1 Recruit in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals)https://t.co/h8kiSLVzl7 pic.twitter.com/2z5jarSb4a
Guyton is a Savannah, Georgia native who ranks as the number one edge defender in the country, and a consensus top recruit for the 2027 cycle.
The future Red Raider has seen high amounts or praise following his freshman and sophomore years of high school play, totaling 33 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks, the immediate burst onto the scene, with a 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst saying
Fluid mover with the bend to quickly run the arc and hand-to-hand combat prowess to knock bigger tackles off balance. Consistently impacts throwing lanes when occupied at the point of attack or close to a sack in the backfield. Combination of football instincts and athletic traits suggests he can operate in space occasionally as an off-ball defender. Promising flashes of tackling in the open field and covering route runners in limited sample size. Burst and change of direction are amplified by tenacious motor when working down the line or redirecting to chase ball carriers.
Guyton has been viewed as a day-one impact player arriving on college campuses, and a potential early day draft selection.
Part Of A New Vision
The success on the recruiting trail for Texas Tech may seem new, but for general manager James Blanchard, it's part of a broader plan to bring elite high school talent to West Texas.
The Red Raiders intend to evaluate high school recruits and determine if a school is under-valuing their worth, and if so, will swoop in to sway a player they believe can impact their program in a big way.
While trying to work with an imposed NIL cap, the year of throwing money in every way the wind blows are over, and now Blanchard and his team will focus on players who can provide value for Joey McGuire and his staff.
While signing day is still over a year away for Texas Tech and LaDamion Guyton, and the focus will remain keeping him locked in to Lubbock, this is a great start to the 2027 recruiting cycle.
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.