The Red Raiders begin official preseason practice in one month. Here is a look at head coach Joey McGuire's depth chart.
LUBBOCK - The Texas Tech Red Raiders officially begin their Big 12 title defense with the first fall practice of the 2026 season on Aug. 5.
Although the Brendan Sorsby controversy has stained Texas Tech's reputation in the mainstream media, head coach Joey McGuire's squad is still plenty capable of returning to the CFP with talent across the roster at key positions.
One month out from the players hitting the field, we take a look at McGuire's depth chart, as sourced by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, with analysis on each position group.
READ MORE: Texas Tech May Have Its Next Defensive Star
2026 Texas Tech Depth Chart - As of July 5
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Will Hammond, Kirk Francis, Lloyd Jones III, Holden Phillips, Stephen Cannon
Hammond is still rehabbing a torn ACL from last season, so his Week 1 status is undetermined. As we expected amid the Sorsby fallout, Francis could be the early starter because of his wealth of experience at Tulsa before transferring to Tech. Jones offers great potential for the future, but is coming off an inactive redshirt freshman season.
Running Back
Cameron Dickey, J'Koby Williams, Quinten Joyner, Ashton Rowden, Sawyer Wilkerson
Regardless of who is under center, the Red Raiders can rest easy in the belief in their rushing core. Tech returns all three of its primary running backs from last season, though the group feels even deeper than before, as Joyner is back from a preseason injury that sidelined him in 2025. Dickey and Williams (who is also the primary kick returner) establish one of the best one-two punches in any college football backfield, something Tech has hardly ever had.
Wide Receiver
X: Kenny Johnson, Bryson Jones, Leyton Stone, Michael Dever
Slot: Coy Eakin, Jalen Jones, Chase Campbell, Tristian Gentry
Z: Micah Hudson, Donte Lee Jr., Malcolm Simmons, Imari Jehiel
Entering Year 3 for Hudson, the former 5-star and highest-rated Texas Tech recruit, 2026 could finally be the year where he truly breaks out. He's been limited in his availability due to a slow freshman year and a controversial departure-turned-return last year. Eakin also returns as a team captain and reliable target all over the field. Key transfers to know are the speedy Jalen Jones and Johnson, who improved upon each of his three seasons at Pitt. I'm surprised to see former 4-star Gentry still has far to rise.
Tight End
Terrence Carter Jr., Jett Carpenter, Matt 'Moose' Ludwig, Jason Llewellyn
Expect Carter to be used as much as a wide receiver as any tight end can be; he's that dynamic of an athlete. Carpenter and Ludwig also bring a good amount of depth potential, with Ludwig just a freshman with extremely high expectations for his future.
Offensive Line
LT: Howard Sampson, Felix Ojo, Jacob Crow
LG: Hunter Zambrano, D'Anthis Upshaw Jr., Patrick McMath
C: Sheridan Wilson, Cash Cleveland, Danilo Guberinich
RG: Jordan Church, Elias Gillen, Ellis Davis
RT: Jacob Ponton, Daniel Sill, Bryce Gilmore
Texas Tech returns its entire starting offensive line from last year, a crucial factor in this offense not taking a dramatic step down with Sorsby not available. One interesting thing to note is how Ojo is already an immediate backup to the veteran Sampson. The former, Tech's highest-rated OL recruit in program history, will learn the ropes from the latter, who was an All-Big 12 selection last year. Jordan Church arrives from Louisville and is listed as a starter with two years of eligibility remaining. Former top hometown recruit Holton Hendrix (RG) is out for the season.
DEFENSE
Outside Linebacker/EDGE
Trey White, Jamond Mathis, LaDamian Guyton, Amarie Fleming
The name of the game for McGuire's defensive line will, once again, be the impact of the transfers under the leadership and influence of returners. White is one of the blue-chip newcomers. Guyton, Tech's highest-rated recruit ever, could also see snaps in Year 1.
Tackle
A.J. Holmes Jr., Julien Laventure, Jojo Johnson, Krush Johnson
Holmes is the undisputed leader of the unit after waiting his turn to take over behind last year's trio of David Bailey, Lee Hunter and Romello Height. He's expected to make a similar jump to the NFL.
Nose
Mateen Ibirogba, Bryce Butler, Jayden Cofield, Keyshawn Williams
Ibirogba transfers from Wake Forest as one of the top big men who found a new home in this portal cycle. The 6-4, 300-pounder was the Demon Deacons' best-rated defender last season by PFF.
Outside Linebacker/EDGE
Adam Trick, Ansel Nedore, Charles Anderson Jr., Sean Robinson
Trick comes with four-years of experience and First Team All-MAC pedigree. He helped Miami (OH) to a conference championship with 12.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles last season.
Boundary Inside Linebacker
Austin Romaine, Corey Platt Jr., Cord Nolan, Chris Lemons
Romaine comes from Kansas State as an All-Big 12 honoree who is familiar with Tech's opponents this season and can fill the void left by superstar Jacob Rodriguez in the middle.
Field Inside Linebacker
Ben Roberts, Brock Golwas, Wesley Smith, Adam Hill
Roberts returns to Lubbock for his senior season after starring in last year's Big 12 title game with two interceptions.
STAR
John Curry, Marcus Ramon-Edwards, Mike Dingle, Donovan Webb, Kaegan Ash
Hometown kid Curry forms the third of the Mustache Mafia with Roberts and Rodriguez (someone else must adopt the look now). Ash comes in as a true freshman with a high school career at Mount Enterprise that will go down in the history books ... but as one of the most dominant running backs ever.
Cornerback
Brice Pollock, Davin Martin, Ashton Hampton, Noah Lewis
A First Team All-Conference selection, Pollock could have an NFL future in sight with another shutdown year at boundary corner in 2026. Last year he helped Tech record the largest year-by-year improvement for both scoring defense (-23.0 points) and total yards allowed per game (-203.2) by any FBS program since 2000.
Field Safety
Peyton Morgan, Oliver Miles III, Aaron Bradshaw, Braylan McDonald
Boundary Safety
Brendan Jordan, Malik Esquerra, Mikal Harrison-Pilot, Maddox Quiller
Peyton steps into a Week 1 starting role as a redshirt sophomore after steadily seeing more and more of the field last year. Jordan returns for his fourth season in Lubbock as one of eight Red Raiders on defense to start in all 14 games and one of 15 players on the entire team to do so in 2025.
Cornerback
Amier Boyd, Tarrion Grant, S'Vioarean Martin, Luke Hamilton
Boyd takes over the position after splitting time last year with Dontae Balfour on the opposite side of Pollock. Martin is one to watch as a true freshman who comes in with a 4-star recruitment label as a potential face of the next era.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: Stone Harrington
Punter: Will Karoll
Harrington was the All-Big 12 First Team kicker a year ago. He was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award after making 22 of 28 field goals, with a season-long of 58 yards.
