5-Star Plus+ WR Micah Hudson is the tip of the iceberg of Texas Tech's recruiting surge

Texas Tech sent tremors through the national recruiting landscape on Monday evening, landing Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Micah Hudson over a who’s who of top college football programs. Hudson, who ranks as the No. 8 overall prospect in the 2024 On300, becomes the highest-rated Texas Tech commitment in the internet recruiting era.

While the news may catch some off guard, Hudson to Texas Tech has been percolating behind the scenes for several months. On3 National Recruiting Analyst Sam Spiegelman made an On3 RPM pick for the Red Raiders in early May. The momentum became readily apparent when Hudson didn’t make his previously scheduled official visit to Texas, following his official to Lubbock on the weekend of June 16. He was also back on the Texas Tech campus this weekend.

Landing the top ten prospect serves notice to the college football world that Texas Tech under head coach Joey McGuire is a recruiting force to be reckoned with.

Micah Hudson projects as a high-volume playmaker at Texas Tech

Micah Hudson has long been considered among the best wide receiver prospects in a cycle that is loaded at the position – particularly at the top.

The Temple (Texas) Lake Belton star makes make big plays in all phases. He’s an above-the-rim athlete who skies to make spectacular acrobatic catches. The ability at the catch point pairs with shifty route-running. Hudson uses his lateral agility and coordination to shake defenders mid-route. He’s capable of lining up anywhere, literally. We see Hudson line up at all receiver spots, in addition to taking carries out of the backfield.

Micah Hudson is also arguably the best receiver after the catch in the 2024 cycle. He takes short passes to the house, using his change of direction and balance to forced missed tackles in the open field. At 5-foot-11.5, 195 pounds, Hudson has a developed, stout build that helps him become a running back after the catch.

In watching a number of Lake Belton games last fall, I was struck by the number of ways Hudson was used and targeted. He came across as a competitive, high volume target. He finished the 11-game 2022 season with 65 receptions for 1,198 yard and 14 touchdowns along with 243 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Hudson’s well-rounded and highly versatile skill set looks to be a fantastic fit in Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley’s Air Raid scheme. While at Western Kentucky in 2021, Kittley helped Jerreth Sterns lead the nation in receptions (150), receiving yards (1,902) and receiving touchdowns (17). Hudson projects to put up gaudy stats in Lubbock – he should be peppered with targets.

Texas Tech building a strong 2024 recruiting class

Micah Hudson headlines a Texas Tech class that currently ranks No. 21 nationally in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. While Hudson will certainly get much of the individual attention, the class is very strong on its own merit.

The group now boasts four On300 prospects – Hudson, offensive tackle Ellis Davis, EDGE Cheta Ofili, and safety Peyton Morgan. Davis, who checks in at No. 30 overall in the On300 has some of the best junior film among offensive linemen in the cycle. Ofili (No. 55) registers as the most athletic pass rushers in the 2024 cycle and has considerable physical upside. Morgan is an athletic, productive safety with range and toughness.

Texas Tech also has a bunch of quality depth throughout the class. Quarterback pledge Will Hammond is building off a good showing at the Elite 11 Finals with a strong start to his senior season. Cornerback Oliver Miles is one of the more athletic prospects in the state of Texas. Safety Malik Esquerra has outstanding size and length for the position. Offensive tackle Jacob Ponton has intriguing upside as a long, athletic pass blocker. Running back J’Koby Williams is a highly athletic, productive rusher. He is a top track athlete as a state champion in the 110 meter hurdles and accounted for 2,100 yards from scrimmage while averaging 15.1 yards per carry as a junior.

McGuire empowering personnel department through unique model

Texas Tech’s recent run of success on the recruiting trail is the byproduct of a process that has been noticeable since Joey McGuire arrived in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are consistently ahead of the curve when it comes to identifying and offering rising prospects. They’re considered an early mover and many in college football have taken notice.

So how are Joey McGuire and his staff recruiting at a level we haven’t seen from Texas Tech in recent memory?

As he explained on The Hard Count with J.D. Pickell during the offseason, McGuire has installed an organizational structure that more closely resembles what you see in the NFL than throughout the rest of college football. The personnel department, which is led by Director of Player Personnel, James Blanchard, has total authority when it comes to dispatching offers and forming the recruiting board. Blanchard, Director of Scouting Brian Nance and the rest of the recruiting staff are empowered to make confident, single-minded evaluations that are often analytically driven.

The result is a nimble, streamlined recruiting operation that allows for early identification and a jump on relationship-building. The Red Raiders have a true identity and clear-eyed team-building vision.

I can’t stress how unique this structure is within college football. To be honest, it may be wholly singular. While there are many others who hold General Manager titles, Blanchard may be the closest facsimile to a true GM in college football.

Several factors are at play for this to work. For one, Joey McGuire has to have the vision and trust in his personnel department. It certainly helps that Blanchard is among the best in the field. He cut his teeth as a part of Matt Rhule’s staff at Baylor that identified a bunch of future NFL Draft picks. Blanchard also spent a year in the Carolina Panthers’ scouting department under Rhule. It also takes a staff of coaches who understands and accepts that they’re not as involved in the evaluation process when compared to most other programs.

This siloed organizational model may be the future in college football, given the increased demands on coaches with year-around recruiting, the transfer portal and NIL.

The recruiting operation is another example of Joey McGuire’s willingness to be different and take informed risks. A legendary high school football coach in the state of Texas, McGuire brings an appetite for outside thinking that stands out. We saw this on the field in 2022, as Texas Tech led the nation in 4th down attempts and conversions. The aggressive decision-making led to a number of wins.

The Texas Tech staff will need to develop and properly utilize the talent its assembling in order to take the program to another level. Time will tell how it ultimately shakes out, but the Red Raiders look to be upgrading the talent on campus under Joey McGuire and his staff.