Jacob Rodriguez was the star of Texas Tech’s defense in 2025. Under defensive coordinator Shiel Wood, Rodriguez had the best season of his career, winning numerous awards including the Lombardi, Nagurski, and Butkus.
With the leader of Texas Tech’s defense set to graduate and enter the 2026 NFL Draft, the Red Raiders are looking for the next player to command the middle of the field alongside Ben Roberts and John Curry.
The answer to that search may be a familiar name: Austin Romaine. The former Kansas State linebacker spent three seasons with the Wildcats before entering the transfer portal ahead of the 2026 season. According to Pete Nakos of On3, he did so with a do-not-contact tag, indicating he may have his sights set on his next destination…