With Dylan Spencer entering the portal, Texas Tech's once-loaded defensive front faces major uncertainty in 2026.
The transfer portal window isn't even officially open yet, and Texas Tech is already feeling the ripple effects up front.
As the Red Raiders gear up for the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day, edge rusher Dylan Spencer is preparing to enter the transfer portal, and his decision only adds to growing concerns about the future of Tech's defensive line.
Spencer, a former four-star recruit in the 2023 class, came to Lubbock with big expectations.
The Houston native starred at C.E. King High School, racking up 75 tackles, 9.0 sacks, and 20.0 tackles for loss as a senior. He was heavily recruited throughout the South, initially committing to Texas before flipping to the Red Raiders after a late official visit.
His time at Tech, however, never fully got the chance to take off.
Spencer flashed promise in limited action as a freshman, logging 84 snaps with four pressures on 35 pass-rush reps and three run stops. He looked like a natural candidate for a sophomore breakout until a brutal setback.
A season-ending knee injury during the opening practice of 2024 camp wiped out his year and forced him into a medical redshirt.
By the time he returned in 2025, the depth chart had changed dramatically. Texas Tech had loaded up on proven pass rushers, adding stars like David Bailey and Romello Height, both of whom turned into headliners on a fearsome front.
Spencer was pushed back into a rotational role, playing just 31 snaps over the first three games, recording one run stop and two pressures. He didn't see the field again the rest of the season, preserving another year of eligibility.
Now he'll reportedly hit the portal with three years left to play, searching for a fresh start and a bigger role. One obvious landing spot? Austin, where the same Steve Sarkisian-led infrastructure that once secured his commitment is still in place.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech's defensive line room is entering a full-blown transition. Bailey, Height, Lee Hunter, A.J. Holmes Jr., Dooda Banks, Charles Esters III, and Terrell Tilmon are all set to move on after the season.
Jayden Cofield remains a key interior piece, and Division II transfer Amarie Fleming arrives from Allen University, but the proven depth and star power that defined 2025 is evaporating fast.
For a program that just rode its defensive front to a Big 12 title and a CFP run, rebuilding the trenches is now priority No. 1 in Lubbock ... and Spencer's exit only underscores how thin the margin has become.