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2026 Spring Football Roster
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Jersey Number 6
John Curry
- Position:
- Linebacker
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 235
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Lubbock, Texas
- High School:
- Coronado
CAREER HONORS
2025 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
2024 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
2023 SEASON (FRESHMAN)
HIGH SCHOOL
PERSONAL
- Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2025, So.)
2025 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
- Switched from his normal position at inside linebacker to start preseason camp to the “star” position due to multiple injuries at the position … refused to give up the starting spot, winning the job during preseason camp and eventually starting in all 14 games for the Red Raiders … was one of eight Red Raiders on the defensive side of the ball to start in all 14 games and one of 15 players on the team to do so.
- Finished fourth on the team with 72 tackles (36 solo), including 3.5 for a loss and a shared sack … one of four Red Raiders with 70-plus tackles on the season, marking the first time Texas Tech has do so since 2015 … the Red Raiders were joined by Arizona as the only Big 12 programs with four or more players with 70-plus tackles and one of 17 schools nationally to do so … recorded multiple stops in all but one game on the season and had five or more tackles in nine different contests.
- Able to stretch the field in coverage with four pass breakups and get in the backfield with a pair of quarterback hurries … contributed to Texas Tech’s FBS-leading 32 takeaways as well with a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, all of which came during Big 12 play.
- Credited with 745 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, which ranked sixth on the team and marked the most in his career … highly-rated by the publication with an 81.0 overall grade that was boosted by an 82.6 grade in run defense, an 81.4 grade as a tackler and an 83.2 grade in coverage … one of three Red Raiders to rank at 80.0 or above in three different categories, joining Ben Roberts and David Bailey.
- AWARDS AND HONORS: an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the conference coaches.
- SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
- Began the season with three tackles in the season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff (8/30), including one for a loss … sniffed out a screen pass to stuff UAPB for a six-yard loss on the final play before halftime … combined for 12 tackles the next two weeks to close the non-conference slate with five stops versus Kent State (9/6) and seven against Oregon State (9/13) … added his first pass breakup of the season versus the Beavers, which led to a third-down stop and a punt to end Oregon State’s second drive of the game.
- Opened Big 12 play with seven tackles again the next week in a road win at Utah (9/20) … added a fumble recovery in the victory as well, the first of his career … landed on a fumble recovery caused by Ben Roberts late in the first quarter, giving the Red Raiders the ball near midfield … the Red Raiders were intercepted two plays later and could not capitalize on the takeaway.
- Combined for 15 stops the next three games with five at Houston (10/4), six versus Kansas (10/11) and four at Arizona State (10/18) … identified a short pass in the red zone against the Sun Devils for a two-yard loss, leading to a field goal from Arizona State … added a pass breakup in the second half as well.
- Followed with two tackles in the shutout victory over Oklahoma State (10/25) and six stops at Kansas State (11/1) … performance in Manhattan included a key fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter that was returned 10 yards for a touchdown … scooped up a loose ball from a Romello Height sack to push the Red Raiders’ lead to 36-20 with 4:52 remaining in regulation … previously had broken up a fourth-down pass earlier in the quarter.
- Recorded seven tackles in the regular-season win over BYU (11/6), with one of those leading to a fourth-down stop near the line to gain in the fourth quarter … notched his first career sack a week later as part of four tackles against UCF (11/15) … got home at the same time as Jayden Cofield for his first career sack on UCF’s first drive of the second half … wrapped the regular season with one tackle and a quarterback hurry two weeks later at West Virginia (11/29).
- Put together maybe his best performance of his young career in the Edward Jones Big 12 Championship with 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in the win over BYU (12/6) … helped lead his hometown school to its first Big 12 title with his first career game with double-digit tackles … broke up a fourth-down pass midway through the second quarter and added a tackle for loss on the next drive, leading to a BYU punt … helped the Red Raiders put the game away by forcing a fumble from LJ Martin that was recovered by Jayden Cofield … the Red Raiders scored five plays later for a 34-7 lead with 4:39 remaining.
- Victory pushed the Red Raiders to their first College Football Playoff appearance … recorded five tackles in the Capital One Orange Bowl versus Oregon (1/1).
2024 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN)
- Appeared in all 13 games not only on defense but as one of Texas Tech’s most-frequently utilized special teams standouts … joined the inside linebacker rotation as only a redshirt freshman.
- Recorded 35 tackles (18 solo) to go along with an interception and one quarterback hurry … had one assisted tackle for loss that resulted in a one-yard loss … ranked seventh on the team in tackles and third among the linebacker room … had at least one tackle in 12 of 13 games overall with three or more stops in five different contests.
- Credited with 215 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus after regularly entering on key downs … saw double-digit snaps as a linebacker in 10 of 13 games overall, including six times during Big 12 play and again in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl versus Arkansas.
- Finished as Texas Tech’s most-active player on special teams by a large margin … credited with 272 snaps on special teams by PFF, which easily led the team … next-closest player was Wesley Smith with 206 snaps of his own on special teams … member of every special teams unit at different points in the year but was primarily on kickoff return and kickoff coverage … received a 71.2 special teams grade by PFF, which led all non-specialists with at least 60 snaps.
- Made his first career tackle in the season-opening win over Abilene Christian (8/31) … followed with two tackles at Washington State (9/7) to go along with his lone quarterback hurry of the season … closed non-conference play with five tackles in the win over North Texas (9/14) … inserted for 33 defensive snaps in the rout, which marked his second-highest total on the season.
- Opened Big 12 play with four tackles in victory over Arizona State (9/21) … recorded three tackles in his nine snaps on defense and added another on special teams … next big outing came at TCU (10/26) with three stops on defense, grading out at 79.2 as a tackler by PFF afterwards … was one of six times on the year to receive a 70.0 or higher grade as a tackler.
- Kicked off a strong end to the season with two tackles in the win at Oklahoma State (11/23) … combined for 16 of his 35 tackles on the season over the final three games of the season against the Cowboys as well as West Virginia (11/30) and Arkansas (12/27) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
- Set a career high with seven tackles, including his first stop behind the line of scrimmage in the rout of the Mountaineers … combined with Chapman Lewis for a two-yard loss on 3rd-and-3 to end West Virginia’s opening drive with a punt … credited with playing a season-high 37 defensive snaps in the win… added his first career interception, which came on the final play of the game … received an overall defensive grade of 78.4 by PFF that was his third-highest of the season … included an 83.9 grade in run defense and an 83.7 in tackling.
- Wrapped his first full season as a Red Raider by matching his career high of seven tackles versus Arkansas … awarded with his second-highest overall defensive grade of the season at 79.7 by PFF … grade featured an 81.6 rating in run defense and an 82.4 as a tackler.
2023 SEASON (FRESHMAN)
- Redshirt season … appeared in five games on the season, including four times during Big 12 play and again in the Independence Bowl victory over Cal (12/16) … scout team member.
- Utilized on special teams as part of the kickoff and punt return units … credited with appearing in 30 snaps via special teams … made his collegiate debut against Kansas State (10/14) and proceeded to see action in each of the next three games versus BYU (10/21), TCU (11/2) and Kansas (11/11).
HIGH SCHOOL
- Local product out of Coronado High School in Lubbock … three-year varsity letterwinner for the Mustangs, leading Coronado to a pair of district titles and playoff appearances, including a trip to the Class 5A Division I regional semifinals his sophomore year.
- Compiled 260 tackles during his prep career en route to earning All-District honors as both a junior and senior … was an honorable mention All-District 2-5A selection as a senior and a first-team honoree his junior season.
- Recorded 119 tackles as a senior alone, including 7.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss … caused three fumbles that season with two recoveries while also blocking one punt as one of the best linebackers in West Texas … selected to the final ballot for the Whataburger Super Team presented by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football as a senior
- Additionally served as Coronado’s punter, earning second team All-District honors as a senior after averaging 39.2 yards per punt with a long of 78 yards … downed 10 of his 44 punts on the season inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
- Recognized for work in the classroom as a first team Academic All-State honoree by the THSCA … AP student who was a three-time selection (2020-22) for Academic Honor Roll and “Who’s Who in America.”
- Standout for the Coronado baseball program, earning first team All-District honors and second team THSBCA All-State accolades as an outfielder his junior year.
- Committed to head coach Joey McGuire not long after his hiring at Texas Tech after being presented with his first Division-I offer … considered a three-star prospect by the likes of 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and ON3.com … listed as the No. 45 inside linebacker prospect in the country by ESPN.
PERSONAL
- John Daniel Curry … born in Lubbock to parents Ryan Curry and Jolee Luce … has four other siblings in Braidy Curry, Quin Curry, Haylee Luce and Logan Luce.
- Parents are both former Texas Tech student-athletes, as father was a member of the football and track programs from 1999-01, while mother was a standout women’s basketball student-athlete under head coach Marsha Sharp from 2000-04.
- Named after his grandfather, the late John Ayers, who starred at West Texas A&M before a successful 11-year career in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos … grandfather was a two-time Super Bowl champion (XVI, XIX) as an offensive lineman with the 49ers and was a member of the Broncos for Super Bowl XXII.
- Lifelong dream was to become a student-athlete at Texas Tech.
- A sport management major at Texas Tech.
Rob Greene Spring Media
Wednesday, April 01
Juice Johnson Spring Media
Wednesday, April 01
Darcel McBath Spring Media
Wednesday, April 01
Donte Lee Jr. Media Session
Tuesday, March 31
