One of the players to keep an eye on in this new-look Red Raiders offense is "explosive" wide receiver Malcolm Simmons.
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech offense will look more different in 2026 than it did in its Big 12-winning season in 2025.
Not only is veteran quarterback Behren Morton being replaced by highly-touted transfer Brendan Sorsby, but both of the Red Raiders' top pass-catchers, Reggie Virgil and Caleb Douglas, are taking their talents to the NFL.
Thankfully Texas Tech returns its versatile tight end Terrance Carter Jr., but after another productive transfer portal haul and a three-headed monster in the backfield all returning, head coach Joey McGuire and offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich will not be without weapons in their conference title defense.
One of those impactful pieces expects to be Malcolm Simmons, who gave us a peak into his game-changing ability in Tech's "I Am" series that profiles players' stories on social media.
Simmons, a wide receiver transferring to Lubbock from Auburn, said he's nicknamed "Freak" because of his freak-of-nature athleticism. He finds inspiration from the originator of the nickname, NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss, who Simmons said he watched a lot of highlights of growing up.
Simmons' self-describing traits of "explosive" and "electric" can be justified not just in his stats with the Tigers in the SEC, but also in his elite dual-sport career from high school in Montgomery, Alabama.
The junior wideout explained how he has won multiple state championships in high jump and long jump. Simmons posted impressive marks of 7-0 in the high jump and 24'11" in the long jump as a senior at Benjamin Russell High School, according to his meet results on Athletic.net.
He won the AHSAA state title in both events as a senior in 2024, and while Texas Tech is among the nation's elite indoor and outdoor track and field programs, Simmons' marks could hold up nicely at the collegiate level.
Currently, a 7-0 high jump would place inside the top 10 of the Big 12 as we approach this year's Indoor Championships. In the long jump, Simmons' personal record from high school would rank No. 6 on the conference leaderboard.
For now, Simmons is called to the gridiron and while he's shown flashes of brilliance at Auburn, a spot as a team's No. 1 receiving option could be enough for him to burst onto the scene as one of the best athletes in the country.
He already has the nickname to back it up.