Texas Tech Gets Mahomes, Top In-State Quarterback

Texas Tech shored up its thin roster at quarterback Wednesday by signing one of the state's best high school players in 2013.

Coach Kliff Kingsbury added 25 players, including three junior college players who enrolled last month.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the son of a former pro baseball player, threw for 4,619 yards with 50 touchdowns and just four interceptions his senior year. He also ran for 15 touchdowns. In December, he was named the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors football player of the year.

Mahomes also plays baseball -- his father Pat Mahomes played with six teams in an 11-year career -- and basketball at Whitehouse in East Texas.

"I really think he's just scratching the surface (as a quarterback) with the time he played different sports throughout the year," said Kingsbury, who said he assumes Mahomes will be Davis Webb's backup. "When he really focuses on football the majority of the time I think you're really going to see him take off in that position."

Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Michael Brewer and Clayton Nicholas have left the program. Mayfield and Webb, who looks to be the top quarterback going into spring, split starts last season.

Texas Tech was also looking to bolster its defense after giving up more than 200 yards rushing per game in 2013. The junior college players will provide immediate help.

"We signed four junior college defensive linemen to come in right away and expect them to have an immediate impact," Kingsbury said. "That was a big focus of this class."

Mahomes likely will play baseball for Texas Tech, Kingsbury said. Pro baseball scouts already know about the 6-3, 215-pounder, and that causes the second-year coach some concern.

"With his dad having that history of being a professional player it does, but we'll see how it shakes out," Kingsbury said. "He wants to come to college, but you never know how the money is going to be."

With the Red Raiders penchant to pass Kingsbury brought in someone that reminds him of Wes Welker, a Texas Tech alum who plays for the Denver Broncos. Ian Sadler from Argyle rushed for 1,001 yards and 23 touchdowns and had 665 yards receiving with 12 TDs. He "has the same elite level soccer background that Wes had, and very similar in persona and does some things that look a lot like him," Kingsbury said.

Texas Tech's 2014 football signing class

   Dakota Allen, lb, 6-2, 228, Summer Creek HS, Humble, Texas
   Cameron Batson, wr, 5-8, 175, Millwood HS, Oklahoma City
   Nigel Bethel II, db, 5-8, 168, Booker T Washington HS, Miami
   Robert Castaneda, ol, 6-5, 318, Round Rock (Texas) HS
   Michael Coley, db, 6-3, 185, Irving (Texas) HS
   Byron Daniels, wr, 6-0, 180, Madison HS, San Antonio
   Shaquille Davis, ol, 6-4, 320, Mt. San Antonio College (Calif.)
   Jakari Dillard, wr, 6-4, 180, Princeton (Texas) HS
   Derrick Dixon, db, 5-10, 195, Skyline HS, Dallas
   Demarcus Felton, rb, 5-7, 179, DeKaney HS, Houston
   Payton Hendrix, db, 6-3, 191, Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas
   Jah'Shawn Johnson, db, 5-10, 170, Ennis (HS) Texas
   Josh Keys, db, 6-2, 180, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
   Devin Lauderdale, wr, 5-11, 170, Navarro College (Texas)
   Rika Levi, dl, 6-2, 350, College of San Mateo (Calif.)
   Tevin Madison, db, 5-10, 160, Fayette County (Ala.) HS
   Patrick Mahomes, qb, 6-3, 215, Whitehouse (Texas) HS
   Keland McElrath, dl, 6-6, 290, Coahoma CC (Miss.)
   Justin Murphy, ol, 6-6, 290, Belton (Texas) HS
   Dominique Robertson, ol, 6-5, 300, Riverside CC (Calif.)
   Ian Sadler, wr, 5-10, 194, Argyle (Texas) HS
   Marcus Smith, dl, 6-3, 305, Highland CC (Kan.)
   Justin Stockton, rb, 5-9, 180, Steele HS, Cibolo, Texas
   Brandon Thorpe, dl, 6-5, 275, Highland CC (Kan.)
   Connor Wilson, db, 6-2, 205, Argyle (Texas) HS

TEXAS TECH
   National rankings (Rivals 43; Scout 35).
   Best in class: Patrick Mahomes, qb, Whitehouse, Texas.
   Best of the rest: Justin Stockton, rb, Cibolo, Texas; Ian Sadler, wr, Argyle; Devin Lauderdale, wr, Houston; Nigel Bethel, db, Miami; Rika Levi, dl, South San Francisco, Calif.
   Late addition: Shaquille Davis, ol, Ponomo, Calif.
   One that got away: Zaycoven Henderson, dt, Longview, Texas (Texas A&M).

NOTE: "He's a winner," coach Kliff Kingsbury said of Mahomes. "You watch him play and he willed his team to victories over and over."