The importance of being aligned

The last few days did not bring further news about new Texas Tech commitments, so here there is the last part of the analysis of who already has committed: if in the other two parts the players were mostly wide receivers and defensive linemen, the latest commitments are mainly offensive linemen. The order of the list will follow the commitment date.

6/18/2017

Weston Wright / 6’6”, 290 lbs / Offensive Tackle

New Braunfels High School (New Braunfels, TX)

24/7: *** / Rivals: *** / Scout: ***

Texas Tech has not yet hit the San Antonio area, but let their presence be known when Weston Wright declared his desire to become a Red Raider. Wright is a consensus 3-stars prospect and also received offers from Air Force, Army, Rice, New Mexico, and Texas-San Antonio.

Wright is very young but he already is 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, high standards for a high school, and on the field playing left tackle often acted like a man among boys, dominating opposing pass rushers with his physicality.

Wright has long arms with which he takes advantage of defensive lineman, once he begins a block he can maintain it for a long time and he is athletic enough to be helpful at the second level. He must be tested against college-caliber opponents but with the necessary experience at the next level Wright can be a lock in his position for many years.

6/18/2017

Clayton Franks /6’4”, 280 lbs / Offensive tackle

Mansfield Legacy High School (Mansfield, TX)

24/7: *** / Rivals: ** / Scout: **

Another boost to the offensive line was the commitment of Clayton Franks. The offensive tackle out of Mansfield High School who was recruited by the Director of Player Development Manuel Ramirez and Offensive Line Coach Brandon Jones and drew some interest also from, among others, Arkansas, Kansas State, Ohio State, Baylor, Iowa, and TCU. In his junior season Franks earned District 10-5A All-District First Team Offense and TSWA Class 5A All-State Third Team Offense honors.

Franks is smaller than Wright but he is more versatile because he plays both right and left tackle with proficiency. He is a fast player with a good blocking technique, who can open holes for the run and can be efficient also on the second level, where he can maintain blocks for many yards.

Franks’ versatility will be useful also in college because Coach Brandon Jones plans to use him in many positions and the player will probably begin his college career mostly as a guard, but the coaching staff will follow his developments to understand which is his best place.

6/18/2017

Troy Bradshaw / 6’7”, 280 lbs / Offensive tackle

Mineral Wells High School (Mineral Wells, TX)

24/7: *** / Rivals: ** / Scout: ***

If there is a player who could imagine himself only with a Red Raiders uniform this is Troy Bradshaw: his father Mitch was a Texas Tech cheerleader and Troy attended the games for long time. He earned first-team all-District 5-4A Division I honors and had offers from Louisiana Monroe, Texas State, and New Mexico State, but when the Texas Tech offer arrived he could not resist.

Bradshaw is very tall, but his weight is not related to his length and at 280 pounds he appears slim. He did not play offensive tackle until his junior season because he also played basketball and was a tight end until his sophomore season, so he has time to bulk up in the weight room, maybe also with a redshirt season.

Bradshaw is an interesting player because he was reliable and effective already in his first full-time season in this position: he played both right and left tackle and this will be probably his position in college, due to his length. He must improve his footwork and his consequent ability to follow defenders to the outside but with his kind of body he can have a lot of improvements.

6/18/2017

John Scott / 6’4”, 245 lbs / Defensive tackle

Hitchcock High School (Hitchcock, TX)

24/7: *** / Rivals: ** / Scout: ***

Also the defense was addressed in this busy June 18th, when the recruitment staff added another piece to a crowded defensive line with the commitment of John Scott. He is a defensive tackle coming from the Galveston Bay who had offers also from, among others, Kansas State, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas State, Tulane, and Tulsa.

In high school he played both 3-technique and end in a 3-4 defense, so he is versatile and can be used in different positions. He is an unusual pass rusher because he is very tall and, at first sight, he does not seem able to break into the backfield.

However, when Scott begins to play things change, because he has a good first step and with his long arms he can pass over the first offensive lineman. After that he can gallop and chase the quarterback or the runner with a good progression and tackle him with his great range. His position in college is still unclear but he can find his role after his upcoming senior season and maybe a redshirt season where he will discover what to do when he grows.