Rodriguez Named Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

LUBBOCK, TX — Texas Tech senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was named the Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. Three Red Raiders were selected to the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, as voted by the media.

Rodriguez is joined on the preseason list by defensive lineman Lee Hunter and outside linebacker David Bailey. All three selections come from the defensive side of the ball and include two offseason transfer additions in Hunter and Bailey, both part of Texas Tech’s nationally ranked incoming class from the transfer portal.

Rodriguez, who earned All-Big 12 first team honors in 2024, led the conference and ranked in the top 10 nationally in both solo tackles (77) and total tackles (127). His 2024 season was the most productive by a Red Raider since Lawrence Flugence’s record-setting 193 tackles in 2002.

Rodriguez was also instrumental in creating takeaways last season, forcing three fumbles, recovering two, and adding an interception. Over his career, he has totaled six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions, many coming in key situations.

His six career forced fumbles rank second among active Big 12 players, trailing only Bailey, who forced seven during his three years at Stanford. Bailey enters his first season with the Red Raiders after producing 22.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and 111 total tackles at Stanford. He was named the top returning edge defender in college football by Pro Football Focus, earning a 93.2 grade as a pass rusher in 2024.

Hunter, meanwhile, was an All-Big 12 second team selection at UCF in 2024 and is rated as the Big 12’s top returning interior lineman by PFF. He recorded 49 total pressures over the past two seasons, the second-most among returning interior linemen in Power Five programs.

Rodriguez and Hunter will represent Texas Tech at Big 12 Media Days this week in Frisco, joining head coach Joey McGuire, quarterback Behren Morton, wide receiver Caleb Douglas, outside linebacker Romello Height, and defensive back Cole Wisniewski.

The 2025 season marks the third straight year Texas Tech has had multiple preseason All-Big 12 honorees.