The portal is technically closed and most of the top players that entered have found new homes ahead of the spring semester. We’ll break down each of the 13 FBS portal classes across the state of Texas, continuing with the Red Raiders, who will enter 2026 as heavy Big 12 favorites thanks to another strong portal class. 

Overview

Texas Tech leads the On3 transfer portal index score for the second year in a row. Joey McGuire and James Blanchard have landed 19 signees from the 2026 portal and nearly all of them should be instant contributors in the upcoming season. Texas Tech rode a strong portal class to its first Big 12 championship and trip to the College Football Playoff and they’ll once again be the betting favorites to win the conference after landing the likes of QB Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati) and WR Malcolm Simmons (Auburn) on offense and defensive stars like LB Austin Romaine (Kansas State), DL Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest) and DE Trey White (San Diego State). 
Class Grade: A+ 

Three Key Additions

QB Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati: The injury to Will Hammond meant that the Red Raiders and OC Mack Leftwich required a one-year rental at the position in 2026 with Behren Morton out of eligibility. Some would argue they upgraded at QB by landing Sorsby, ESPN’s top-rated player in the 2026 portal. The Texas native was second-team All-Big 12 in 2025 after throwing for 2,800 passing yards and 27 touchdowns while adding nine more scores and 580 rushing yards. He began his career at Indiana, where he started seven times in 2023 before transferring to Cincinnati when Curt Cignetti arrived. 

LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State: Replacing production from the likes of David Bailey, Lee Hunter, and Romello Height is crucial, but replacing the presence of linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is paramount to Texas Tech’s 2026 success. Enter Romaine. The incoming senior was a two-time second-team All-Big 12 selection with the Wildcats and recorded 11 tackles and an interception against Texas Tech in 2025. He was limited to nine games because of a hand injury but will be fully healthy in 2026 to form a partnership with Ben Roberts and John Curry in the second level of Shiel Wood’s defense. 

DL Mateen Ibirogba, Wake Forest: The Red Raiders are replacing Hunter with Ibirogba, the top-rated defensive tackle in the portal per On3. The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder should fit right into Wood’s defensive system after starting 12 times for the Demon Deacons and registering 21 tackles, including 3.5 for loss and two sacks in 2025. He was one of seven defensive linemen added in the portal cycle by Tech. 

Two Sleepers 

WR Kenny Johnson, Pitt: Texas Tech needed to add more playmakers to the wide receiver room for Sorsby after losing Caleb Douglas. Johnson and Simmons should slide right into starting reps for the Red Raiders alongside Coy Eakin and Reggie Virgil. Johnson’s production at Pitt is hard to ignore. He caught 109 passes for 1,354 yards and nine touchdowns over three years, including the last two as a full-time starter. The 6-1, 200-pound Johnson averaged 14.5 yards a catch on 48 receptions in 2025. 

OL Jordan Church: Texas Tech has a hole at one of the guard spots and Church, considered one of the better run blockers in the ACC last season, could slot in opposite of Hunter Zambrano. Church logged 514 snaps at right guard last season, starting four times in 12 games played. The Red Raiders return Sheridan Wilson and both tackles – LT Hunter Sampson and RT Jacob Ponton – so only the guard position was a concern entering the offseason.

Transfer List

• QB Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati 
• QB Kirk Francis, Tulsa
• WR Donte Lee, Liberty 
• WR Jalen Jones, Alabama State 
• WR Kenny Johnson, Pitt
• WR Malcolm Simmons, Auburn 
• TE Jett Carpenter, Nevada 
• OL Jordan Church, Louisville
• DE Trey White, San Diego State 
• DE Amarie Fleming, Allen University 
• DE Adam Trick, Miami (Ohio)
• DL Mateen Ibirogba, Wake Forest 
• DL Jojo Johnson, Oregon State 
• DT Bryce Butler, Washington
• DT Julien Laventure, Akron 
• LB Corey Platt Jr., Houston 
• LB Austin Romaine, Kansas State 
• CB Davin Martin, UTSA
• K Jacob Hand, SFA