Big 12 5-star Texas Tech commit shares bold national championship take originally appeared on The Sporting News
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire’s recruiting momentum continues to surge, fueled partly by the program’s robust name, image, and likeness (NIL) backing from billionaire alumnus Cody Campbell.
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That combination helped the Red Raiders land 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive lineman Felix Ojo. The five-star prospect, ranked No. 5 overall and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the class of 2026, is Texas Tech’s first-ever top-20 pledge — by a wide margin.
ESPN reported that Ojo’s agent, Derrick Shelby, said the commit signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $5.1 million NIL deal.
Cody Campbell is a central Texas Tech booster and co-founder of The Matador Club, the school’s central NIL collective. The group has committed over $55 million in NIL contracts for Texas Tech athletes for the 2025 season—the largest in the NCAA.
Joey McGuire has been vocal about eliminating conference bias in CFP selection, insisting that all Power Five champions deserve access and that the current system unfairly disadvantages leagues like the Big 12.
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“I think you’ve got to earn it on the field, and if you’re a conference champion, then you should be in… It’s not who the best teams are in certain conferences. It’s who the best teams are in the country. Let us do it on the field. If you win your conference, you’re in, and then find the best teams that way. I think that’s the way we should do it.” McGuire told CBS Sports.
While not as vocal as McGuire, Campbell has been credited with providing the resources and vision necessary for Texas Tech’s pursuit of Big 12 and College Football Playoff glory—positions both he and McGuire have made clear are the program’s goals.
In an interview with Red Raider Sports, Ojo praised McGuire’s vision for the program.
“I feel like Lubbock and Texas Tech is a special place, special program,” Ojo said. “What coach McGuire is building is great. In the next two to three years, we’re gonna be a national championship contender.”
For Ojo, one thing is clear. He has big expectations for his time in Lubbock.
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