Texas Tech Football Adds New Players on National Signing Day

Texas Tech Red Raider Football officially added 25 new players on Wednesday's National Signing Day.  22 of the players are incoming freshman while the other three are junior college transfers who enrolled in classes last month.

The 2014 class is the first recruiting class head coach Kliff Kingsbury, and his staff, were able to work from start to finish. Kingsbury was happy with how it ended up, "Last year we were scrambling to try to put a class together that had really fallen apart with the way the departure (of Tommy Tuberville) went. So this year we had a year to get to know those kids and build relationships and really feel good about the character of this class. High character kids, on and off the field, and good players."

The 2014 class is highlighted by the addition of quarterback Patrick Mahomes from Whitehouse High School.  The 6'3" Mahomes is the son of former major leaguer Pat Mahomes and also plays baseball. Mahomes chose Texas Tech over Rice and Oklahoma State. Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury talked about his new backup quarterback, "Dynamic athlete, three sport star at Whitehouse, big time Major League prospect in baseball, and he's a winner. You watch him play and he willed his teams over and over, 6'3", 220, very athletic, great extending plays, big time arm, and I really think he is just scratching the surface with having played different sports throughout the year."

Kingsbury said he would be open to Mahomes playing baseball for the Red Raiders; drawing parallels to Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston at Florida State.

Another signee that could have an impact next season is wide receiver Ian Sadler. Sadler drew comparisons to former Red Raider, Wes Welker, from Kingsbury. "I hate to say the Wes Welker mode, but has the same elite level soccer background that Wes had," Kingsbury said. "(Sadler's) very similar in persona and does some things that look a lot like him. So we expect him to come in and contribute right away."  Sadler is a 5'10" wide receiver from Argile, Texas and helped lead his team to a state championship last season.

With signing classes there are always a few projects and one for the Red Raiders is Michael Coley from Irving High School.  Coley mainly played wide receiver at Irving but also played defensively at cornerback.  I asked Kingsbury if it would take a year or two for Coley to get playing time, "No, I think he has a chance to play right away," Kinsgbury said. "He played corner in high school as well. Most people are recruiting him as wide receiver, but he wants to play corner; 6'3", very fast, very mature, really, really good kid. So with his frame he has a chance to come in and contribute."

2014 Texas Tech Football Signing Class