The Texas Tech Red Raiders’ 2025 campaign was one for the NIL books. Joey McGuire’s program spent $30 million on the roster ($12–15 million on the portal for 19 players) before heading into the season. The investment paid off in dividends. Even though the Red Raiders failed to put up a masterclass in their biggest test of the last 15 years, they balled out in the regular season, especially on defense. ESPN made sure to give props where they were deserved.

On January 23, ESPN released its Top 100 players of the 2025 season. The Red Raiders got plenty of love from fans.

Two of the biggest stars were linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (fourth) and edge rusher David Bailey (Third). Rodriguez was a tackling machine and a Heisman Trophy candidate, winning multiple national awards like the Bronko Nagurski and Butkus Awards, which go to the top defensive players in the nation. He was known for forcing fumbles and even scored touchdowns on both offense and defense.

When it comes to Bailey, he was as good as anybody this season. The man was a pass-rushing monster, leading the FBS in sacks with 15 and recording an elite pass-rush grade. Word is he’s a certified top-10 guaranteed pick this April.

The other guys were just as impactful. Defensive tackle Lee Hunter (22nd), nicknamed “The Fridge,” was a massive presence in the middle of the line, great at stopping the run and eating up offensive linemen. Easily a second- to third-round pick.

Cornerback Brice Pollock (30th) was a ball-hawk in the secondary, earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for his ability to grab interceptions. Fellow edge rusher Romello Height (44th) was a high-motor player who consistently generated pressure on quarterbacks, tying for fourth among all edge defenders nationally in PFF grade. Some even argue he could go before Jacob Rodriguez and might even sneak into the late first round.

Texas Tech finished third nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 11.8 points per game on average. Even more impressively, they had the number one “stop rate” in the nation, meaning they were the best at preventing opponents from scoring once they had the ball. They were a nightmare for opposing offenses, leading the FBS with 31 total takeaways (turnovers).

The only thing the Red Raiders have to worry about is continuity.

Joey McGuire’s squad lost 4 of the 5 defensive players to the NFL; the only returning one is Brice Pollack. The most glaring question is: how do you replace the production and leadership of Jacob Rodriguez?

Joey McGuire’s plan to replace Jacob Rodriguez

Coach Joey McGuire is tackling the tough job of replacing star linebacker Jacob Rodriguez using a smart two-part plan. He knows you can’t just find another Rodriguez easily, so the main strategy is to bring in a certified-caliber player from the transfer portal.

The biggest move was snagging Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine from the transfer portal. This guy is a huge addition because he was a two-time All-Big 12 player himself and basically considered the second-best linebacker in the conference, right behind Rodriguez.

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Romaine brings a ton of experience and outstanding stats, including over 180 tackles in his college career. Getting someone this good as soon as possible is the most logical move.

Besides Romaine, the team is counting on some familiar faces to take on bigger roles. Ben Roberts, who was also an All-Big 12 player, will likely be the other main starting inside linebacker, forming what should be one of the best linebacker duos in the nation. They also have versatile players like John Curry coming back.

It’s too early to say whether they’ll replace Rodriguez, but it will be interesting to see how it turns out.