Three Red Raiders Added to 2026 Lombardi Trophy Watch List

After a historic few months, Texas Tech football is back at it again making waves with standout players. The most recent example is that three Red Raiders have been named to the 2026 Lombardi Trophy preseason watch list.

What's the Lombardi Trophy Watch List?

It sounds self-explanatory, but the watch list is meant for exceptional players who stand out and embody the spirit of the one-of-a-kind NFL coach Vince Lombardi.

Lombardi's legendary run ended with his death in 1970, but he is best known for bringing the Green Bay Packers to five championships and winning two Super Bowl titles as head coach from 1959 to 1967.

The watch list is composed of 54 linemen and linebackers across the nation. A total of six Big 12 players were included in that total this year, and three of those six are Red Raiders!

Red Raiders on the Lombardi Watch List

The three players from Texas Tech featured on the list are tight end Terrance Carter Jr., defensive lineman A.J. Holmes Jr., and linebacker Ben Roberts.

Carter showed his skills as one of the top pass-catching tight ends last year, with 55 passes for 624 yards and five touchdowns, according to Texas Tech Athletics. He also finished second on the team in receptions and fourth in receiving touchdowns.

This is Holmes' third preseason watch list of the season after already joining the Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch lists. He is also one of the country's highest-rated returning interior defensive linemen.

Take last season, for example. Holmes recorded an impressive 38 tackles (at least one in all 14 games) and 4.5 sacks.

Holmes isn't the only Red Raider known for his tackles, as Roberts finished last year as the second-best tackler on the team. This is Roberts' third watch list as well, having already been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List and the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.

Keep Up With All Things Texas Tech Football

So, there we have it. Certainly a couple of players to keep an eye out for as the season kicks off on September 5 against Abilene Christian.

You can keep up with the latest stories from Texas Tech Athletics by visiting their webpage. You can also check out the game times for the upcoming season: It's right around the corner!