In a world of college football uncertainties, one thing is certain: Joey McGuire has the energy to build something fun with the Tech Red Raiders.
With the team headed into a new-look Big 12 Conference, there are challenges ahead, but his top 10 returning players make for a potentially thrilling team in the 2024 season.
Texas Tech Red Raiders’ Top 10 Returners in 2024
Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal area. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes on each team’s roster page to open spring camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.
10) Jalin Conyers, TE
One of the most versatile weapons in the transfer portal, Jalin Conyers can catch, run, and throw the football. Although his time at Arizona State was full of disappointment from a team perspective, it allowed the staff to get creative with their personnel and throw their tight end in at quarterback.
He won’t do that with his new team, but it does open up some options for trick plays. Conyers caught 74 passes with the Sun Devils, turning them into 846 yards and six touchdowns. He’s an underrated athlete too, and one simple catch can quickly turn into a house call if defenses aren’t careful.
9) Bralyn Lux, CB
When Bralyn Lux decided to enter the transfer portal ahead of the 2023 season, there was some uncertainty about his future prospective schools. At Fresno State, he was one of the best defensive backs in the Group of Five, but he bet on himself and found a good home with the Red Raiders.
To silence his doubters, Lux inserted himself into the lineup and now returns as one of their more reliable players on the defensive side of the ball. Despite the tougher competition, Lux posted career bests in tackles, tackles for loss, and passes defended last year.
8) Caleb Douglas, WR
Joey McGuire’s staff worked the transfer portal, retooling a passing attack that lost multiple receivers from last year’s team. Florida’s Caleb Douglas surprised many by entering the transfer portal, and he returned to his home state.
At 6’4″, Douglas gives the passing attack a taller receiver who’s proven that he can come down with incredible catches. We saw it last year against Utah, but he didn’t consistently produce for the Gators. In Zach Kittley’s system, he should see more targets, and hopefully, that means more highlight reel catches.
7) Josh Kelly, WR
Another former Fresno State Bulldog who found himself in Lubbock, Josh Kelly took a slightly different route than cornerback Lux. After four years with the Bulldogs, he transferred to Washington State in 2023, producing a career-high 61 catches for 923 yards and eight touchdowns.
He’s a proven player who has thrived in multiple systems, so the transition to Kittley’s offense shouldn’t be too difficult. He played in pass friendly offenses, and now gives the Red Raiders another viable weapon downfield.
6) Davion Carter, OG
One of the most significant additions for McGuire and his staff, Davion Carter chose the Red Raiders over a number of other big schools. As such, he shouldn’t waste time getting into the Texas Tech starting lineup.
MORE: 2024 Texas Tech Red Raiders Football Roster
Carter started 23 games for the Memphis Tigers in the last two years, and he’s proven to be a good pass protector. With the Red Raiders losing a few key starters up front, Carter’s addition was a welcomed sight, and he’ll allow his new quarterback ample time to throw the football.
5) CJ Baskerville, S
NFL teams looking for big-bodied defensive backs should consider the Red Raiders during their search. They’ve produced a few unique players in terms of frames and ability, and this year shouldn’t be any different. CJ Baskerville is just the latest in that line of talent.
This will be a scrappy defense again in 2024. They have multiple exciting playmakers, and Baskerville is the leader of the group this year. In 2023, he produced 78 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. With Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Malik Dunlap off to the NFL, Baskerville inherits new responsibilities for a team with big expectations.
4) Ben Roberts, LB
If the Red Raiders want to make a run in 2024, their defense must improve. An offense featuring multiple new contributors will need time to gel, so the defense might have to keep teams off the scoreboard until then. Guys like Ben Roberts will play a significant role in that.
He returns after leading the team in tackles last year, and he’ll orchestrate a defense that must also find new starters. Roberts leads a unit full of talent, so there shouldn’t be too many concerns about this group early in the year.
3) Coy Eakin, WR
It was a crowded receiver room last year, but there are many reasons to believe that Coy Eakin is set for a big year in 2024. The college fantasy football community is excited about him, as the 6’2″, 210-pound sophomore is just getting his career started.
Last year, he caught 36 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns and was one of six players with 20 or more catches for the Red Raiders. If there’s stability at quarterback, Eakin should be set for a big year, but he’ll continue fighting for touches regardless.
2) Behren Morton, QB
Staying healthy has been a struggle for Red Raiders quarterbacks over the years, and unfortunately, this year isn’t different. Behren Morton missed spring practice due to a shoulder injury, but the staff sounds optimistic about his return in the fall. When healthy, he’s dynamic.
Morton’s shown flashes of his potential in the last two years, and he plays the game confidently. Injuries have limited his time in Lubbock, but a healthy Morton would take this offense to another level. In his 10 games last year, he threw for 1,757 yards and 15 touchdowns, and a full season means a career year for the gunslinger.
1) Tahj Brooks, RB
College football’s fourth-leading rusher is back to wreak havoc in the Big 12 again, and that’s a bonus for an offense that relied on him more in 2023. Balance will be huge for the Red Raiders this year, and Tahj Brooks will complement what could be an explosive passing attack.
KEEP READING: 2024 Big 12 RB Rankings
He ran for 1,541 yards and 10 touchdowns, and only rushed for less than 90 yards twice last year. At 5’10” and 230 pounds, tackling Brooks requires good form and more than just a can-do attitude, and even then, there’s no guarantee that a defender will get him to the ground.
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