Texas Tech Football: A preview of the Red Raiders' safeties

Continuing with the secondary, can the safety room make strides to complement the new-look Red Raiders defense in 2025?

Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Continuing where we left off yesterday, we're breaking down the new-look Texas Tech Red Raiders secondary, which will play a significant role in their 2025 season's success.

The safety room wasn't the problem last season; in fact, they were one of the bright spots considering the time opposing quarterbacks had to throw against them. However, with the influx of talent, they should take a massive step forward this coming season.

Can the last line of the Red Raiders' defense take the step Joey McGuire needs for them?

Free Safeties

Texas Tech defensive back Luke Dillingham attends football practice, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, at the Sports Performance Center. | Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Projected Starter - Cole Wisneiewski

Wisniewski is a redshirt senior transfer from North Dakota State. He will have one year of eligibility left after spending the last five years, during which he recorded most of his stats, from 2020 to 2023, because he missed last season with a foot injury. In 2023, he led the conference with eight interceptions and also led NDSU with 92 tackles, one forced fumble, and five pass breakups.

Depth Options - Malik Esquerra and Luke Dillingham

Esquerra is a red-shirt freshman who only appeared in the last two games of the season, including the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas. In those games, he recorded one tackle in each contest, but most of his playing time came in the West Virginia game.

Dillingham is a red-shirt senior who played only on special teams last year. He is 6'1" and weighs 205 pounds. He started out at Abilene Christian and played in two games as a true freshman, then transferred to Angelo State, where he saw no action, and then transferred to the Red Raiders in 2023.

Strong Safeties

Sep 21, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Brenden Jordan (7), defensive back Jalon Peoples (2), defensive safety C.J. Baskerville (9) and defensive back Miquel Dingle Jr. (35) react after a play against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Projected Starter - Brenden Jordan

Jordan is a key piece to the Red Raider secondary. He finished with 36 tackles in 2024, good for sixth on the team, with three pass breakups. Jordan also recorded at least one tackle in every game, and he is a physical tone setter with the hits he makes. Jordan plays with some speed and can move laterally.

Depth Options - Oliver Miles III and Peyton Morgan

Miles is a red-shirt freshman who played a maximum of four games so he could be preserved for the red shirt. In all of these, he did not record a single tackle. He also saw some time on kickoffs and kick returns. Miles is also very light on his feet, has speed, can jump, and makes good use of his hands in case of jump balls.

Morgan, a red-shirt freshman, played in two late games last season against Oklahoma State and the bowl game against Arkansas. Morgan made a tackle in each contest, but they came off the punt unit. Morgan went to Pfluggerville Weiss High School, where he was described as a ball hawk because he had nine interceptions and 10 pass breakups.