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Where will Texas Tech football's 2024 NFL Draft prospects wind up?
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- Where will Texas Tech football's 2024 NFL Draft prospects wind up?
The 2024 NFL Draft begins next week and several Texas Tech football alumni are hoping to hear their name called over the three-day event in Detroit.
The three now former Red Raiders with the best odds of latching on with an NFL team are safeties Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Tyler Owens and edge rusher Myles Cole , each of whom were invited to the NFL scouting combine. Others who go undrafted could be picked up on the free-agent market and receive minicamp or preseason training camp invitations.
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The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday. Rounds two and three are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and rounds four through seven at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Here's a look at each draft-eligible Texas Tech football player, how they fared in offseason pro days and the NFL combine and where they might wind up being drafted.
Texas Tech's defensive back Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (1) intercepts the ball against TCU in a Big 12 football game, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Safety
NFL Draft Scouting Combine Measurables — Height:5-foot-10; Weight:197 pounds; Arm:30-7/8 inches; Hand:9-5/8 inches; 40-yard dash:4.41 seconds; Vertical jump:38 inches; Standing broad jump:10 feet, 3 inches
Career College Stats (Five years at Texas Tech) — 60 games, 10 interceptions, 224 total tackles (159 solo, 65 assists), 8.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 33 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries
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The Skinny— Texas Tech fans know him as Rabbit , the most likely Red Raider drafted in 2024. In a five-year career that included 60 games, Taylor-Demerson is tied for 10th in Texas Tech history with 10 interceptions. Became a staple in the Red Raider secondary during his true freshman season and never looked back.
Projections — Taylor-Demerson is the highest-rated Texas Tech prospect by most major NFL mock drafts. According to NFL Mock Draft Database , which tracks all available projections, Rabbit is pegged as the 101st overall prospect with an expected draft position of the fourth round. NFL.com's breakdown of Taylor-Demerson shows him with a grade of 6.28, which equates to eventually becoming an average starter. Some have him going as high as the third round, others as low as the sixth. Either way, he should feel confident he'll be drafted, likely on day three.
Texas Tech's Myles Cole attends media day, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, at the Sports Performance Center.
Myles Cole, Defensive End/Edge
NFL Scouting Combine Measurables — Height:6-foot-6; Weight:278 pounds; Arm:36-7/8 inches; Hand:9-7/8 inches; 40-yard dash:4.67; Vertical jump:35 inches; Standing broad jump:10 feet
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Career College Stats (Two years at Texas Tech; Four years at Louisiana-Monroe) — 59 games, 7 sacks for 48 yards, 86 total tackles (53 solo, 43 assists), 12.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass deflection
The Skinny — For all intents and purposes, Myles Cole's measurables and potential didn't line up with his college production. Cole came to Texas Tech after four years at Louisiana-Monroe and tallied just 3.5 sacks (two coming against FCS foe Tarleton State ) and just nine tackles for a loss out of the edge rusher position. He played all 12 games of the 2023 regular season but skipped Tech's bowl game to focus on his draft preparation.
Projections — Scouts seem to think Cole could break out at the professional level. Despite a lackluster college career, Cole could have his name called on the final day of the draft, either the sixth or seventh round. He's pegged as the 190th overall ranked prospect on NFL Mock Draft Database and the 188th prospect in Matt Miller's 474-prospect big board at ESPN.com.
Texas Tech's Tyler Owens attends media day, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, at the Sports Performance Center.
Tyler Owens, Safety
NFL Scouting Combine Measurables — Height:6-foot-2; Weight:216 pounds; Arm:33-3/8 inches; Hand:9-1/8 inches; 40-yard dash:not available; Vertical jump:41 inches; Standing broad jump:12 feet, 2 inches
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Career College Stats (Two years at Texas Tech; Three years at Texas) — 49 games, 1 interception, 69 total tackles (54 solo, 15 assists), 1.5 tackles for loss, 6 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles
The Skinny — Joey McGuire often referred to Owens as the fastest player on the Red Raider roster, though a groin injury at the combine prevented the Plano East product from showing off that speed in Indianapolis . He missed the final two games of the regular season with an ankle injury but was still seventh on the team in defensive snaps (570). Owens caused quite a stir at the NFL scouting combine when he said he doesn't "believe in space" then went out and recorded the second-best standing broad jump in combine history. His vertical jump was also eighth among all combine invitees and first among his position group.
Projections — Unfortunately, the few feats of athleticism Owens got to show off at the combine haven't helped his draft stock much. ESPN's Matt Miller ranked Owens as the 269th overall prospect on his big board published Sunday morning, which would leave him just outside the total of 257 selections slated for next week's draft. Aside from a few seventh-round grades, most see Owens signing somewhere as an undrafted free agent.
Texas Tech's defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings (95) celebrates his touchdown against Oklahoma in their last Big 12 home football game, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, Jones AT&T Stadium.
Other Texas Tech NFL Draft Prospects
Several other Texas Tech alums are also hoping to here their names called during the 2024 NFL Draft. However, the rest are more likely to get scooped up as undrafted free agents or be invited to training camps in the coming weeks and months.
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Here's a list of those other Red Raiders, who were not invited to the NFL combine. Listed measurables are according Texas Tech athletics.
Cole Spencer, Offensive Lineman (6-foot-4, 300 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables — Vertical:30.5 inches; Bench press reps:31; 40-yard dash:4.89 seconds.
The Skinny— Started 50 college games, the first 44 at Western Kentucky. He spent two years at Tech after, but saw action in only six games due to knee, back and toe injuries. He started Tech's first five games of the 2023 season and returned to the lineup in the Independence Bowl win over Cal. His 40 time at the conference pro day was better than any offensive lineman's time at the NFL combine.
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Rusty Staats, Offensive Lineman (6-foot-5, 320 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— Bench press reps:29; 40-yard dash:5.52 seconds
The Skinny— Staats started 40 college games, the first 27 at Western Kentucky. In his one season for the Red Raiders, he started 13 games. Staats began the year at center but was switched to right guard after a quarter of his snaps were off in the loss at BYU .
Jaylon Hutchings, Defensive Tackle (6-foot-0, 305 pounds)
The Skinny— The heartbeat of Tech's defensive line, Hutchings started 57 games and appeared in 62 in his six-year Red Raider career. He combined for 193 tackles, including 26 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Hutchings competed in the bench press as the conference's pro day but was limited as he continued to work back from a knee injury that sidelined him before the Independence Bowl.
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Baylor Cupp, Tight End (6-foot-6, 260 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— Bench press reps:23; Vertical:30 inches; Standing broad jump:9 feet, 11 inches
The Skinny— Transferring to Tech after spending three years at Texas A&M, Cupp was productive in spurts playing behind Mason Tharp this past season, catching 11 balls for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both in a victory at Baylor.
Rayshad Williams, Cornerback (6-foot-3, 215 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— 40-yard dash:4.57 seconds; Vertical:31.5 inches; Standing broad jump:10 feet, 2 inches; Bench press reps:12
The Skinny— In three years each at UCLA and Texas Tech, he started 40 games. Started eight of his 12 games played this past season, registering 19 tackles and six pass breakups. Totaled 136 tackles (94 at Tech) and one career interception.
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Malik Dunlap, Cornerback (6-foot-3, 220 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— Standing broad jump:10 feet, 4 inches; Vertical:34 inches; 40-yard dash:4.68 seconds
The Skinny— Dunlap transferred to Tech after three years at North Carolina State, where he totaled 41 tackles and 13 pass breakups. He had a career-best three interceptions in 2023, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Dunlap had 23 pass breakups in 32 games at Tech.
Austin McNamara , Punter (6-foot-4, 210 pounds)
The Skinny— Punters don't get drafted too often, so McNamara probably won't hear his name called, though he has as good a chance as others at his position. McNamara completed his Texas Tech career with school records for career punting average (45.9) and season punting average (48.2 in 2021). He had 21 punts go 50-plus yards in 2023 and pinned 24 inside the 20.
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Tyrique Matthews, Linebacker (5-foot-11, 235 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— Vertical:31 inches; Bench press reps:18; 40-yard dash:4.78 seconds; Standing broad jump:9 feet, 10 inches
The Skinny— Matthews spent most of last season as a special-teams player and played 159 snaps on the season.
Xavier White, Wide Receiver (6-foot-0, 195 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— 40-yard dash:4.45 seconds; Vertical:31.5 inches; Standing broad jump:9 feet, 10 inches ; Bench press reps:14
The Skinny— White caught 39 passes for a team-high 556 yards and a touchdown last season. The Georgia native and Monterey graduate finished his Tech career with 2,731 all-purpose yards as a receiver, running back and return man.
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Dennis Wilburn, Offensive Lineman (6-foot-3, 325 pounds)
Big 12 Pro Day Notables— Standing broad jump:7 feet, 9 inches; 40-yard dash:5.40 seconds
The Skinny— After spending two years each at Texas A&M-Kingsville and Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Wilburn transferred to Tech for his last two years and made 25 starts at center and right guard.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: A look at Texas Tech football's 2024 NFL Draft prospects
