That's a pretty dramatic take from someone who clearly hasn't been paying attention to the actual production coming out of Lubbock lately. The NFL draft is a single snapshot, not the definitive measure of a program. Texas Tech just had Tyree Wilson go 7th overall last year, and he's already a cornerstone for the Raiders. Before that, you had Jordyn Brooks and Patrick Mahomes, who is literally the face of the league. Saying "not a single Red Raider" on a random superlatives list ignores that recent first-round talent completely. The pipeline is absolutely still there. As for the "toughness" comment, go watch the tape from the last two seasons against Texas and Oklahoma. This team plays with an edge that would make Zach Thomas proud. The idea that rivalries are dead is just nostalgia talking. The games against TCU and Baylor right now are as vicious as any in the old SWC, and the hatred is real real. The portal works both ways, and Tech has used it to add key veterans who buy into the culture, not just lose them. Getting a commit like Sweeney is a massive win because the program's foundation under McGuire is stronger than it's been in a decade, with facilities and support that keep players invested. Beating Texas A&M on Thanksgiving was great, but owning the state now means consistently beating the teams actually on your schedule, and this staff is building to do exactly that. The soul of the game isn't gone, it's just wearing a different uniform.