Texas Tech players shining at the Senior Bowl

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Texas Tech players shining at the Senior Bowl

Texas Tech players shining at the Senior Bowl originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Texas Tech has sent a talented group of 5 prospects to the 2026 Senior Bowl. These athletes aim to improve their draft stock before league scouts in Mobile.

The Red Raiders contingent joined the National Team roster for practices starting January 27. This follows their successful run to the 2025 College Football Playoff earlier this month.

Defensive tackle Lee Hunter immediately grabbed attention during the heavy contact sessions on Day 1. The 330-pound lineman measured in with 33 1/4 inch arms and 10-inch hands.

Hunter's strong physical abilities and early achievements have put him in the spotlight for a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

During team drills, Hunter stood out by overpowering interior offensive linemen. He pushed blockers back and broke through double teams to reach the backfield.

One source described the defender as "borderline unblockable" due to his surprising lateral quickness. Analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently mocked Hunter to the Los Angeles Chargers in Round 1.

In his final year at Texas Tech, he tallied 41 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He is well-regarded for his point-of-attack power and unexpected agility for someone over 320 pounds. His draft stock has risen significantly during practice week.

Romello Height impresses alongside other Texas Tech Red Raiders standouts

Edge rusher Romello Height utilized elite speed to disrupt offensive backfields during team periods. He measured 6-2 3/8 and weighed 234 pounds during the official check-in process.

Height was seen "blazing around" offensive tackles, consistently pressuring quarterbacks. His performance on the field mirrors his high athletic ratings from the 2025 season.

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has emerged as a key "stock up" player at the 2026 Senior Bowl after two impressive days of practice. 

His recorded 18.73 MPH top speed was the fastest among all linebackers, effectively answering pre-event questions about his sideline-to-sideline athleticism.

Rodriguez received several top defensive awards, including the Butkus Award for best linebacker and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for best defensive player, totaling 128 tackles with an average of 9.1 per game. 

He showed strong playmaking skills, recording 7 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions. He also ranked first among Power Five linebackers with a 94.8 PFF run-defense grade and a 92.3 coverage grade.

Receiver Caleb Douglas measured over 6-3 with 33 1/8 inch arms at the event. Standing over 6'2", both receivers utilized their length and separation skills to dominate defensive backs in one-on-one and team periods.

In the 2025 season, Caleb Douglas led the Texas Tech Red Raiders with 54 receptions for 846 yards and 7 touchdowns, earning Second-team All-Big 12 honors. 

Reggie Virgil contributed 57 catches for 705 yards and six touchdowns, along with two rushing scores for a total of eight touchdowns. 

Together, they powered a passing offense that ranked third in the Big 12, helping the team win the conference title and reach the College Football Playoff.

These performances suggest Texas Tech could see multiple players selected early in the upcoming draft. The final game on January 31 offers one last chance to impress.

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