Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez adds the Jason Witten award to a huge 2025 season after leading the Red Raiders on and off the field.
FRISCO - Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez added another major honor to an unforgettable year Thursday night, becoming the 2026 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year.
The award, handed out at The Star in Frisco, recognizes the FBS player who stands out for leadership, character, courage and impact beyond the field.
For Rodriguez, it’s one more milestone in a season that already placed him among the most accomplished players in Texas Tech football history.
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech football, Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, and Big 12 championship success all go hand in hand after the Red Raiders’ breakthrough 2025 campaign.
Rodriguez helped lead Tech to its first Big 12 title and first College Football Playoff appearance, while also building one of the strongest individual award résumés in the country.
His trophy haul already included the Bednarik Award, Lombardi Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award. He also finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, the highest placement of any defensive player, and drew the fourth-most first-place votes.
That kind of national recognition reflected just how dominant he was at linebacker.
What makes Rodriguez’s story even stronger is how unlikely it once looked. He began his college career as a quarterback at Virginia before arriving at Texas Tech as a walk-on and switching positions in hopes of earning a role.
That gamble paid off in a huge way. He eventually earned a scholarship, became a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, and served as a team captain in both 2024 and 2025.
Away from football, Rodriguez has been just as impressive. He earned Academic All-Big 12 recognition, landed in the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, and spent significant time serving the Lubbock community.
Alongside his wife Emma, an active-duty helicopter pilot, he helped support veteran families, worked with the Veterans Food Bank of Lubbock, and stayed involved with hospitals, schools and Habitat for Humanity.
Texas Tech has had great players before. Rodriguez now stands apart as one of its most complete success stories.
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