Texas Tech Adds 13 Newcomers to Start Spring Semester

Texas Tech Adds 13 Newcomers to Start Spring Semester

January 19, 2017 | Football

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Seven freshmen and six junior-college players have joined the Red Raider football program

By: Texas Tech Athletics Communications

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech welcomed 13 newcomers to its football program Thursday as seven freshmen and six junior-college signees all began classes for the spring semester.

The 13 newcomers consist of six junior-college athletes who were previously announced in December as well as six freshmen who will participate in spring practices after graduating high school a semester early.

"We are excited to get our class of mid-year players on campus," Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "This group will benefit from a full spring with our strength and conditioning staff and participating in spring practices. We expect a competitive spring and this group is expected to compete right away."

The freshmen class consists of three offensive linemen in Will Farrar out of Fort Bend Travis High School as well as a pair of Frisco natives in Jack Anderson and Dawson Deaton. Anderson ranks as one of the most noteworthy players to ever sign with Texas Tech as ESPN listed the Under Armour All-American as the No. 3 guard in the nation and eighth-best player in the state of Texas.

The group is joined by quarterback Xavier Martin (Cibolo, Texas), and defensive linemen Tyler Carr (Amarillo, Texas) and Nelson Mbanasor (Pflugerville, Texas).

Tech previously added the likes of quarterback McLane Carter, offensive lineman Jacob Hines, linebacker Tony Jones as well as defensive backs Vaughnte Dorsey, Jaylon Lane and Octavious Morgan as part of its junior college signing class.

In addition to the mid-year enrollees, Kingsbury also announced that senior defensive lineman Gary Moore, junior wide receiver Michael Coley and junior defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko are all no longer with the program.

Kingsbury and his staff will round out their 2017 class on National Signing Day which is set for Feb. 1. Texas Tech.com will once again be the home for complete Signing Day coverage, highlighted by the live three-hour telecast on Texas Tech TV.

JACK ANDERSON
OL | 6-5 | 300 | Frisco, Texas (Frisco, Texas)

Signed Athletic Scholarship Agreement … one of the most highly-rated recruits to ever sign with Texas Tech … consensus four-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports … ranked 42nd nationally on the ESPN 300 list … listed as the No. 3 offensive guard in the nation by ESPN as well as the eighth-best prospect in the state of Texas … named the top offensive guard in state of Texas by ESPN … ranked as the top center in the state of Texas by Scout and the No. 42 overall prospect nationally … helped lead Frisco High School to an 8-3 record and playoff appearance as a senior … teammates with fellow mid-year signee Dawson Deaton … helped Frisco rush for an impressive 333 yards per game as a senior in 2016 … first team All-District selection following junior and senior seasons … garnered first team All-Area honors in 2016 by the Dallas Morning News … participated in the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Florida following his senior season … was nominated for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl as well … had scholarship offers from over 30 schools … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Kansas State, LSU, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA and USC.

Please join us in officially welcoming, Jack Anderson to Texas Tech! #GunsUp17 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/gNQbrso1ga
— #GunsUp17 (@TTU_WreckEm) January 19, 2017

TYLER CARR
DL | 6-5 | 250 | Amarillo, Texas (Canadian H.S.)

Joins the Red Raider football program as a preferred walk-on … played for a highly successful program at Canadian High School near Amarillo … helped lead Canadian to the Class 3A Division II state semifinals as a senior … played his freshman season at Canadian before moving to Amarillo Tascosa as a sophomore and Amarillo High as a junior … unanimous first team All-District 1-3A selection on the offensive line as a senior … took part in Texas Tech's Lubbock high school camp in summer of 2016, winning offensive line/defensive line MVP honors … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Interest from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas.

DAWSON DEATON
OL | 6-5 | 290 | Frisco, Texas (Frisco H.S.)

Signed Athletic Scholarship Agreement … named a three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout, 247Sports and ESPN … ranked as the seventh-best center in the 2017 class by ESPN … picked as the No. 8 and No. 9 center by Scout and Rivals, respectively … was the third-best center in the state of Texas according to Scout … part of an offensive line with fellow mid-year signee Jack Anderson at Frisco High School … helped power an offense that averaged an impressive 333 yards per game on the ground as a senior in 2016 … helped lead Frisco to an 8-3 record as a senior and a playoff appearance … was a first-team All-District 13-5A honoree as a senior … collected second team All-District 9-5A honors as a junior … received scholarship offers from nearly 20 schools across the country … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Boise State, California, Colorado, Colorado State, Duke, Houston, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Utah and Virginia.

Please join us in officially welcoming, Dawson Deaton to Texas Tech! #GunsUp17 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/E9BbSZA6f5
— #GunsUp17 (@TTU_WreckEm) January 19, 2017

WILL FARRAR
OL | 6-5 | 300 | Richmond, Texas (Fort Bend Travis High School)

Signed Athletic Scholarship Agreement … consensus three-star prospect … a consensus top-40 offensive lineman prospect nationally and a consensus top-100 prospect in the state of Texas overall … part of one of the top offenses in the state his senior season at Fort Bend Travis High School … blocked for an offense that accumulated more than 5,000 yards of total offense—more than 3,700 through the air and more than 1,400 on the ground … helped push Fort Bend Travis to a 7-4 record and an appearance in the 6A Division-1 state playoffs … the Tigers had the No. 20 passing offense in 6A Division-1 in 2016 … participated in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl following his senior campaign … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Texas, USC, LSU, Washington, West Virginia, Miami (FL), Michigan State, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Louisville, Cal, Mississippi State, Arizona State and Missouri, among others.

Please join us in officially welcoming, Will Farrar to Texas Tech! #GunsUp17 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/UpDXNZyTFt
— #GunsUp17 (@TTU_WreckEm) January 19, 2017

XAVIER MARTIN
QB | 6-0 | 175 | Cibolo, Texas (Steele H.S.)

Signed Athletic Scholarship Agreement … becomes latest product of Steele High School to join Red Raider football program under Coach Kingsbury … joins the likes of Justin Stockton, Antoine Wesley and Terence Steele to arrive at Texas Tech from Steele … three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN … named a four-star recruit by 247Sports … rated among the best quarterbacks in the state of Texas by all four publications … three-year letterwinner at Steele High School … helped lead Cibolo to a 14-2 record and an appearance in the Texas Class 6A Division II title game as a senior … ended the year with 2,248 passing yards and 22 touchdowns while rushing for 739 yards and 10 touchdowns … threw for 2,110 yards and 21 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a junior … added 698 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, averaging more than seven yards per carry … registered 373 yards of total offense and six touchdowns playing multiple positions as a sophomore … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: offers from Colorado State, New Mexico and Tulane as well as interest from Oregon and Texas.

Please join us in officially welcoming, Xavier Martin to Texas Tech! #GunsUp17 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/iEmGh5QZ9b
— #GunsUp17 (@TTU_WreckEm) January 19, 2017

NELSON MBANASOR
DL | 6-3 | 270 | Pflugerville, Texas (Hendrickson H.S.)

Signed Athletic Scholarship Agreement … named a three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout, 247Sports and ESPN … ranked as the No. 7 defensive end in Texas by Scout … ranked as the 23rd strong side defensive end in the country by Rivals … named to the first team All-District 13-6A following both his junior and senior seasons at Hendrickson High School … recognized on the All-Central Texas second team by the Austin American-Statesman following his senior campaign … recorded 46 tackles and eight sacks as a junior in 2015 … had long list of over 20 scholarship offers before committing to Texas Tech … older brother, P.J. Mbanasor, is currently a defensive back at Oklahoma … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Purdue, SMU.

Please join us in officially welcoming, Nelson Mbanasor to Texas Tech! #GunsUp17 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/p07reQAmlM
— #GunsUp17 (@TTU_WreckEm) January 19, 2017