Patrick Mahomes is tracking toward Week 1, while Skyler Gill-Howard and several former Texas Tech defenders fight to lock down NFL roster spots.
Texas Tech’s NFL pipeline is getting louder as the 2026 season approaches, and once again, Patrick Mahomes is the name at the center of it.
Roughly eight months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL, the former Red Raiders star has practiced without limitations in Kansas City and continues to trend toward a Week 1 return.
The Chiefs are keeping him out of preseason games, but head coach Andy Reid has been encouraged by what he’s seen.
The target remains Sept. 14 against Denver. For Texas Tech fans, that’s the headline. But Mahomes isn’t the only former Red Raider making noise.
One of the biggest surprises of camp has been Detroit Lions rookie Skyler Gill-Howard, a 2026 sixth-round pick who’s already getting noticed by Dan Campbell.
Gill-Howard recorded just one tackle in Detroit’s most recent preseason game against Washington, but that number undersells his impact. The tackle went for a loss, and he also registered a quarterback hit while consistently getting around the football.
Campbell has clearly noticed.
“‘Sun Bleach’ just continues to make plays,” Campbell said, adding that Gill-Howard has shown the same relentless style in practice.
That’s exactly the kind of endorsement a late-round pick wants to hear in August.
If the head coach is giving you a nickname and praising your effort publicly, you’re probably doing something right.
Elsewhere, David Bailey flashed his pass-rushing ability against Pittsburgh, while several other former Red Raiders remain locked into important roster battles.
Tyree Wilson is trying to carve out his role in New Orleans. Romello Height is battling in San Francisco. Lee Hunter is pushing for snaps in Carolina.
None of those jobs are guaranteed.
That makes the final preseason games especially important.
NFL teams have until the end of August to make their final roster cuts, and for players on the bubble, one strong night can change everything.
Texas Tech has become increasingly visible on NFL rosters in recent years, and 2026 could add another layer to that story.
Mahomes is trying to get healthy.
Gill-Howard is trying to force his way onto the roster. And several more Red Raiders still have one last shot to make their case.
