We are a little over a month away from the college football season starting and what better way than to evaluate athletes who are on the rise. This segment will feature Texas Tech’s bruising running back Tahj Brooks.

Brooks is entering his senior season at Texas Tech and has established himself as one of the nation’s top returning athletes. He is a thick running back who is very dominant on the ground attack. Last season, he compiled 1,541 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. The offense goes through Brooks as he carried the football 290 times. His 5.3 yards per carry average is very respectable and fans hope that he can continue to provide the Red Raiders with dominating performances on the ground.

Pro Football Focus ranked Brooks as the fifth best returning running back in their article titled: ‘College Football: The top-10 returning backs for the 2024 season’. Author Max Chadwick mentioned Brooks’ thick and stocky build and how defenders often bounce off of him, resulting in even more rushing yards for the team and Brooks’ statistics.

Brooks possesses a stocky build at 5-foot-10, 230 pounds that defenders routinely bounce off of. The senior led the nation this past season with 96 forced missed tackles and was fourth in the country in both yards after contact (998) and rushing yards (1,547). He also moved the chains more than anyone else in the country in 2023, with 96 of his carries going for a first down or touchdown. Brooks will once again be the bell-cow for Texas Tech’s offense in 2024.

While Chadwick only wrote a few sentences about Brooks, his performance last year should not go unnoticed. He was the heart and soul of the Red Raiders’ offense and in December of 2023, announced that he is returning for his final season before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Brooks’ Collegiate Statistics:

2020: 69 Carries for 255 Yards, 3.7 Average, 4 TDs

2021: 87 Carries for 568 Yards, 6.5 Average, 7 TDs

2022: 147 Carries for 691 Yards, 4.7 Average, 7 TDs

2023: 290 Carries for 1,541 Yards, 5.3 Average, 10 TDs

2024: TBD

When it is all said and done, Brooks will have compiled over 4,000 total rushing yards and more than 30-plus touchdowns. The expectation heading into this season will be to remain healthy so that he can help the offense establish a strong running game once again. If he produces similar numbers to last season, he will be a top running back in the draft.

I was recently playing the new College Football video game by EA Sports and selected Texas Tech. Brooks shines in the game and that gave me the idea to take a deep dive into his statistical performances over the last several years. He has been dominant and productive for the Red Raiders and that should not change in 2024 as he will be a college football player to watch.