After a disappointing finish to a historic season, Texas Tech’s star defensive players and a few offensive starters have moved on to preparing for the NFL draft.
The Red Raiders are in for a season of change, as they are losing Chuck Bednarik Award winner Jacob Rodriguez, the nation’s top edge rusher duo and their starting quarterback. This looks to be the most-talented group of draft-eligible Red Raiders in years.
Here’s how the top prospects are lining up on NFL draft boards:
David Bailey, senior EDGE
Sports Roundup
It’s been a few years since Texas Tech sniffed the first round of the NFL draft. EDGE Tyree Wilson went seventh overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. Bailey has the tape to go around the same spot. The need for EDGE starts at the fourth overall pick with the Tennessee Titans, but Bailey is competing with Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese to be the first defender taken off the board.
Expected range: Top-15 selection
Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height (9) recovers a fumble during the second half of the Big 12 Championship football game against BYU at AT&T Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Arlington. Texas Tech defeated BYU 34-7.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Romello Height, redshirt senior EDGE
Bailey’s hype this season may have overshadowed his counterpart slightly. Height wasn’t known for his ability to get to the quarterback heading into the season, but he finished with 10 sacks, which was 4.5 fewer than Bailey’s nation-leading total. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. left Height out of his top-10 outside linebackers, but other analysts have slotted him in as early as the Dallas Cowboys’ second pick at No. 25.
Expected range: Rounds 1-2
Lee Hunter, redshirt senior defensive tackle
The 6-4, 325-pound interior defensive lineman comes in at No. 5 on Kiper’s positional rankings. Three of the four names ahead of him end up on most analysts’ first-round mock drafts, leaving Hunter as a projected top-50 pick heading into Day 2. His NFL combine numbers in the three cone drill can only help him, as his in-game speed has been a positive point of discussion for his future. Defensive tackle tends to be a team-interest position, meaning big boards don’t always matter, so if a defensive coordinator falls in love with what he can offer, Hunter could be the first defender off the board on Day 2.
Expected range: Rounds 2-3
Jacob Rodriguez, redshirt senior linebacker
Since 2016, all but one Chuck Bednarik Award winner has been drafted outside of the first round. NC State’s Payton Wilson, who was drafted 98th overall in 2024, is the lone outlier. Wilson fell in the draft for medical concerns. Rodriguez, despite winning four of the major defensive awards in 2025, is falling because of his size. A Dec. 15 scouting report by Bleacher Report said Rodriguez lacks NFL-size at 6-1 and 235 pounds and below-average arm length. Regardless, Rodriguez has shown a high IQ for the game and will be a steal for whichever team selects him.
Expected range: Rounds 2-4
Texas Tech wide receiver Reggie Virgil (1) carries the ball during the first half of the Big 12 Championship football game against the BYU at AT&T Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Arlington.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
Reggie Virgil, senior wide receiver
Standing at 6-4 and 190 pounds, Virgil is a prototypical boundary receiver with stats from his stops at Miami (Ohio) and Texas Tech to warrant being drafted. His straight-line speed and contested catch ability have proven to be his top attributes. However, he and the rest of Tech’s wide receivers had diminished roles in the biggest games this season against Oregon. Virgil finished as the leading receiver in both BYU matchups.
Expected range: Round 3
Cole Wisniewski, super-senior safety
If there was a player who improved his chances of being drafted the most by coming to Texas Tech, it’s Wisniewski. The former North Dakota State University star was an FCS All-American in 2023 before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the 2024 season. Although NDSU has produced NFL talent, his move to Texas Tech put his talents on a much bigger platform. Although 2025 was his sixth year in college, Wisniewski’s game IQ outweighs any age concerns a team may have.
Expected range: Rounds 3-5
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (2) looks to pass during the first half of the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell / AP
Behren Morton, redshirt senior quarterback
Texas Tech’s 23-0 loss in the Orange Bowl will taint a lot of Morton’s film in the coming months. Some scouts will call it an outlier, while others will see the recurring struggles Morton faces in big games as a glaring red flag. Regardless, Morton’s draft stock depends more on availability than talent. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported that Morton was playing with a hairline fracture in his fibula during the 2025 season, which stemmed from multiple leg injuries sustained near the start of the season. Morton finished out the year, but the fifth-year quarterback has already had shoulder surgery, dealt with tricep strains, entered concussion protocol multiple times and had issues with his throwing hand.
Expected range: Round 5-undrafted
Caleb Douglas, senior wide receiver
Douglas was another victim of unfavorable play-calling during Texas Tech’s biggest games, but his size at 6-4, 210 pounds should be enough to justify him as a competitive third or fourth receiver. He had a nearly identical season in 2024, with no major statistical improvements, and his role remained as a WR2 to a faster wide receiver. Douglas’ biggest point of improvement from last season is his route tree. It’s evident through tape that offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich added a handful of new routes to Douglas’ arsenal, which will be critical in pre-draft interviews and workouts.
Expected range: Rounds 5-6
Davion Carter, senior guard
Local media who have covered Carter since he arrived at Tech have heard about his IQ. Teammates have told stories of 1-on-1 film sessions with Carter, noting his ability to dissect every part of the play. Carter’s downside is his size. He stands at 6-0 and 295 pounds with short arms, which have not proven to hinder his game beyond being overpowered by top-end talent. Thus, he will more than likely slide to the back end of Day 3.
Expected range: Rounds 6-7
2026 NCAA football transfer portal: Tracking moves for Texas Tech, SMU, other area schoolsCollege football has a dirty little secret, and it’s not what you think
Find more Texas Tech coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.