The 5 best NFL Draft Picks from Texas Tech….

Overachievers have long been the foundation of the Texas Tech football program. It makes sense, then, that a few of Texas Tech’s top NFL players were passed over in the NFL Draft.

This is seen in the successful NFL careers of undrafted players like Terrence Steele, Danny Amendola, and Wes Welker. It also applies to a few late-round selections from the NFL Draft who had outstanding careers at Texas Tech before finding success in the league.

We recently examined a few Red Raiders who turned out to be busts during the draft. Now, let’s reverse the order and examine the highest-valued NFL Draft selections to emerge from Texas Tech.

In 1999, Ricky Williams, a running back, appeared to be a Heisman Trophy contender for Texas Tech. But he would miss the entire season due to a knee injury he suffered in the season opener. Sammy Morris, a fullback who had missed the previous two seasons due to NCAA academic eligibility difficulties, stepped in to replace him. In nine games, Morris ran for 562 yards and three touchdowns, which helped him earn a fifth-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.

On the other hand, Morris’ NFL career was not what many anticipated. He only rushed for 788 yards and 7 touchdowns as a Red Raider, which explains why.

But on Sundays, he showed himself to be a reliable and adaptable running back. Morris would perform.

But on Sundays, he showed himself to be a reliable and adaptable running back. Morris was an NFL player for twelve years.

Despite not being a regular starter, he would amass 3,053 yards and 26 touchdowns throughout that span. 2008 was his greatest season as a running back for the New England Patriots, finishing with 727 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Prior to retirement in 2011, Morris made 144 appearances in games. He was a short-time player for the Cowboys, Patriots, Dolphins, and Bills. For a fifth-round pick who missed half of his collegiate career, that’s not a bad career.