Ranking Texas Tech football's 7 most important defensive players in 2025

With all the added attention the Texas Tech football team is getting this season, the majority of the focus is on the defense.

Last year's unit was a disaster, especially in the secondary, where the Red Raiders featured one of the worst passing defenses in the country. Tim DeRuyter was fired and replaced by Shiel Wood, who takes over as defensive coordinator.

But the onus will be on the revamped defensive roster as much as Wood. Texas Tech went hog wild in the transfer portal to collect as much defensive talent as possible.

With an expected turnaround season on the horizon, which defensive players have the most pressure to perform at the highest level in 2025?

7. Brendan Jordan, safety, junior, 6-0, 210

Brendan Jordan has been a consistent presence in his two years at Texas Tech, appearing in all 26 games with seven starts. That came at the STAR position. Jordan will now slide over to the strong side while last year's starter, Chapman Lewis, potentially uses a redshirt throughout the regular season.

6. Skyler Gill-Howard, defensive tackle, senior, 6-1, 290

Going from a linebacker at Upper Iowa to a walk-on defensive tackle at Northern Illinois, Skyler Gill-Howard has bet on himself throughout his career, and it's led him to the Big 12. Now, Texas Tech is betting on Gill-Howard to clog up the middle.

5. Ben Roberts, inside linebacker, junior, 6-3, 235

The former freshman All-American isn't even considered Texas Tech's best linebacker, but Ben Roberts is a big piece to what the Red Raiders do defensively. He and his inside linebacking partner must get better at defending the pass, though they've proven stingy against the run.

4. Romello Height, outside linebacker, senior, 6-3, 235

Romello Height is not one to settle down. The son of a Marine, Height is on his fourth college in his career, and the fate of Texas Tech's defense rests largely on his very muscular biceps.

3. Lee Hunter, defensive tackle, senior, 6-4, 325

Personality oozes from Lee Hunter like the green slime that created the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Hunter has the goods to be a mouthpiece for the unit, and his production at UCF made him one of the most sought-after defensive tackles in the portal for a reason.

2. Jacob Rodriguez, inside linebacker, senior, 6-1, 230

Jacob Rodriguez decided to return for his final year, much to the delight of Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders. The preseason Big 12 defensive players of the year started out as a quarterback but has taken to the linebacker position like a fish to water.

1. David Bailey, outside linebacker, senior, 6-3, 250

The biggest transfer portal addition was one that almost didn't happen. Now, David Bailey has everyone's attention to see what he does with the Red Raiders. Projected as a potential first-round NFL draft pick, as Bailey goes, so goes the Tech defense.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Ranking Texas Tech football's 7 most important defensive players in 2025