Texas Tech University Athletics
Bailey, Rodriguez garner Walter Camp All-America honors
December 12, 2025 | Football
Texas Tech has multiple first team All-America honorees for only the third time in program history
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech senior outside linebacker David Bailey and senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez were both named first team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Foundation on Friday evening during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
This is the first career All-America honor for both Bailey and Rodriguez, who became only the third set of Red Raider teammates to collect first team All-America honors in school history. Texas Tech had both linebacker Zach Thomas and defensive back Marcus Coleman represented on an NCAA-recognized All-America team in 1995, while the quartet of wide receiver Michael Crabtree, quarterback Graham Harrell and offensive linemen Rylan Reed and Brandon Carter were all recognized in 2008.
The Walter Camp All-America teams kick off the list of NCAA-recognized organizations that determine the NCAA's annual consensus and unanimous All-America teams. The Associated Press All-America team will be unveiled Monday followed by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Tuesday, the Sporting News on Wednesday and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Thursday.
Now in its 136th year as the nation's oldest All-America team, the Walter Camp Foundation had not previously recognized a Red Raider since tight end Jace Amaro was a unanimous selection to the first team in 2013. Rodriguez joins Thomas (1994-95) and Thomas Howard (1976) as the only linebackers in program history to receive first team All-America honors. Bailey, meanwhile, became the third Red Raider defensive end or outside linebacker to be recognized on the first team, joining two other greats in Montae Reagor (1998) and Tyree Wilson (2022).
The All-America honor only adds to a memorable week for Rodriguez, who was also named the winner of the Bednark Award Friday evening during the ESPN broadcast. Rodriguez has collected the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker), the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player), the Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman or linebacker) and the Pony Express Award (nation's top duo with Bailey) in the past week alone.
Rodriguez has been the most-disruptive player in college football this season as he enters the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl as the FBS leader with seven forced fumbles and ranks among the top-15 players nationally with 117 tackles. He is the first FBS player since 2005 to record at least five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four interceptions all in the same season.
His impact has bolstered a Texas Tech defense that leads the nation with 31 takeaways and ranks third nationally in scoring defense at 10.9 points per game. Rodriguez was responsible for nine takeaways himself — all in Big 12 play – thanks to his ability to punch the ball out and also read the quarterback in coverage. Rodriguez is currently the highest-rated player in all of college football, according to Pro Football Focus, grading out at 93.3 overall so far this season.
Bailey, meanwhile, leads possibly the best defensive line in college football this season with 13.5 sacks, which leads all power conference players and ranks second overall nationally entering bowl season. Bailey, who is also third in the FBS with 17.5 tackles for loss, is in the midst of his most-productive collegiate season after arriving from Stanford this offseason with 14.5 sacks for his career at the time, one more than his total this season under head coach Joey McGuire and outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You. He is 1.5 sacks shy of the Texas Tech single-season sacks record of 15.0 that was set by Brandon Sharpe in 2009.
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Pro Football Focus has credited Bailey with 74 pressures this season, easily the most in college football as Adam Trick of Miami (Ohio) ranks second with 66. Louisville's Clev Lubin is the next-closest power conference player to Bailey with 61 pressures of his own. Bailey's ability to get to the quarterback has also caused three forced fumbles, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
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As a team, Texas Tech is the only team in the country to rank in the top five nationally for not only scoring defense and total defense but also total offense and total offense. The result has pushed Texas Tech to its first Big 12 Conference title and a 12-1 record, marking the most wins in a season in school history.
The Red Raiders await the winner of the College Football Playoff opening round game between No. 5 Oregon and No. 12 seed James Madision in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Kickoff on New Year's Day is set for 11 a.m. CT with coverage provided on ESPN and the Texas Tech Sports Network.
