How $7 million in NIL created a top-10 ranked college football program

This Big 12 program's $7 million NIL overhaul built an elite defensive line, powering a top-10 surge.

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire has the Red Raiders at 8-1 overall and 5-1 in Big 12 play. | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

The Texas Tech Red Raiders bet big on the line of scrimmage this past offseason, and the return has been immediate. After a transfer portal push powered by more than $7 million in NIL commitments, the Red Raiders surged into the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings, as detailed by a recent ESPN piece from Max Olson. The plan centered on overwhelming their Big 12 opponents up front, and through nine games, the results match the investment.

Red Raiders general manager James Blanchard drove the strategy. He zeroed in on premier trench talent, then kept donors engaged on film, valuations, and fit. Texas Tech landed David Bailey, Romello Height, Lee Hunter, Skyler Gill-Howard, and A.J. Holmes Jr., pairing edge speed with interior power. The approach was simple: build a two-deep that wins with four, and force offenses to play left-handed.

Coach Joey McGuire’s staff integrated the newcomers quickly. Defensive coordinator Shiel Wood demanded run integrity before unleashing the rush, and the unit delivered. Texas Tech owns the No. 1 run defense, leads the nation with 16 forced fumbles, and has piled up an FBS-high 175 pressures while blitzing only 20 percent of the time. The numbers tell the story of a front that dictates games.

Texas Tech’s $7 Million NIL Defensive Line Overhaul And Rise To Top 10

The roster remake hinged on decisive deals. Bailey arrived after Stanford with an offer exceeding $3 million, and Height signed on at $1.5 million. Hunter chose Texas Tech over a late Texas push, while Gill-Howard and Holmes rounded out the interior. Together they became the engine for a top-five scoring defense and a playoff contender ranked No. 8.

Production matched projection. Bailey leads the nation with 11.5 sacks and 46 pressures, Height adds 37 pressures, and Holmes ranks among the top interior disruptors with 18 since stepping in for the injured Gill-Howard.

Texas Tech Red Raiders defenders David Bailey (31) and Romello Height (9) have a combined 17.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and 47 total tackles this season. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Tech broke its single-game sack record with nine against Kansas, then mauled Kansas State as Bailey and Height closed the pocket in seconds. Quarterback Behren Morton and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez describe practices as a race to the ball, a standard that carried over to Saturdays.

The proof spread quickly. Donors Cody Campbell and John Sellers see return on investment, and portal momentum followed with blue-chip commitments for future classes. On3 ranked Texas Tech No. 1 in transfer portal haul with 13 four-star additions, and the Red Raiders now play with the confidence of a team built to win in November.

The Red Raiders will face BYU at home on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on ABC.