"Backstage disclosure of Texas Tech's 5-star recruit's shift, attributed to a secret strategy"
Texas Tech University has made a significant move in the world of college football recruiting, securing a record-breaking Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with five-star recruit Felix Ojo. The deal, worth a fully guaranteed $5.1 million over three years, places Texas Tech's offer among the largest in college football history.
According to reports, Ojo is set to receive an annual compensation of $775,000 per year from Texas Tech's revenue-sharing pool. The contract includes escalators, with potential earnings of $1.2 million in Year 1, $1.6 million in Year 2, and $2.1 million in Year 3. This structure incentivizes Ojo to remain at Texas Tech throughout his college career.
The Texas Tech offer stands out in comparison to competing universities such as Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas, who were also pursuing Ojo. The size and guaranteed revenue-sharing structure of Texas Tech's offer were key factors that helped them secure Ojo's commitment in a surprising recruiting upset.
Reports suggest that other programs did not match this level of NIL investment, giving Texas Tech a significant competitive edge in landing the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2026 class. This deal marks a significant shift in college football recruiting, with traditional powerhouse programs facing competition from universities willing to invest heavily in NIL deals.
In addition to Ojo's commitment, four-star safety Donovan Webb also chose Texas Tech over Michigan on Wednesday. The success of Texas Tech's NIL strategy is evident in their ability to attract top recruits, setting a precedent for other universities to follow.
Sources:
1. 247Sports - Texas Tech ranks 25th in national recruiting rankings for the 2026 class 2. ESPN - Felix Ojo's three-year deal with Texas Tech is $5.1 million, according to his agent 3. The Athletic - Texas Tech's NIL deal with Felix Ojo is a record-breaking offer in college football history 4. The Athletic - Multiple powerful universities were interested in Felix Ojo, but Texas Tech's NIL offer and strategy secured his commitment.
- The record-breaking NIL deal with Felix Ojo, worth $5.1 million over three years, has positioned college football at Texas Tech University among the competitive sports landscapes, particularly American-football, such as the NCAA.
- In contrast to other universities including Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas, Texas Tech's unique NIL deal structure, offering an annual compensation of $775,000 per year, has proven to be an attractive factor in recruiting top athletes like Felix Ojo, a five-star recruit.
- The lucrative NIL deal struck by Texas Tech has set a new standard in college football recruiting, as football programs struggle to keep up with universities willing to heavily invest in players' Name, Image, and Likeness, potentially shifting the balance of power in American-football recruiting.
