Jacob Rodriguez has officially heard his named called in the 2026 NFL Draft after a record-breaking senior season at Texas Tech.
Jacob Rodriguez turned in arguably the best individual season by a defender in the country as a senior for the Texas Tech Red Raiders last season, but despite his stat-sheet-popping production, his size and perceived athleticism limited his NFL Draft projections.
That was until he blew scouts away with his surprisingly quality measurables during the Scouting Combine and admirable sense of maturity during the pre-draft visit process.
Now, the Dolphins have made the call to make Rodriguez their linebacker of the future by taking him as a second-rounder in the 2026 NFL Daft.
And the Lubbock-to-Miami linebacker pipeline is in play.
“He’s just kind of reminded me of what he went through and this process that he went through and how he had to believe in himself and just kind of hold true to what he’s had and what he’s earned,” said Rodriguez of the guidance given him by Zach Thomas, the Dolphins legend and Hall of Famer who played in Lubbock.
Oh, and something else ...
“Jordyn (Brooks) has given me a lot of words of wisdom as I have gone through my years (at Texas Tech),'' Rodriguez said of his new Miami teammate, another Tech product.
Rodriguez has already heard EDGE teammate David Bailey's name called, and the Pony Express Award-winning tandem will likely be joined by a slew of other defensive stars that helped the Red Raiders win the Big 12 title a season ago in Lubbock.
While linebacker isn't a top, most-sought-after position in draft classes, it is still of major importance on each team. Rodriguez's natural leadership translates perfectly to the duties of the position, and was another reason why we had seen mock drafts that had him surging upward.
Possessing high football IQ, Rodriguez made his name due to his ability to diagnose a play and react more quickly than most. Once he did that, he found a knack for punching the ball loose.
Rodriguez forced a nation-leading seven fumbles in the center of the Red Raiders' defense. He also established a new career-high with four interceptions last year.
That production earned Rodriguez a Hall of Fame comparison going into this week's draft ... and it's one Red Raiders fans are familiar with.
"Rodriguez reminds me so much of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas," ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum wrote. "He has an incredible knack for forcing fumbles (seven last season, 13 over his career), and he picked off four passes in 2025. Typically when someone is that productive and instinctive, it carries over to the next level.
"I'd want him on my team, even though he's slightly undersized at 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds. It's sort of impossible to think he won't make it as a starter in the NFL."
He'll get that opportunity with Miami ... like Thomas and Brooks before him.
Now it's up to this generation's favorite Red Raiders linebacker to embark on a journey similar to the ones before him.
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