Mansfield (TX) Lake Ridge five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, one of the top prospects in 2026, made a Fourth of July commitment to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders will now be paying him quite well with an unprecendented, fully guaranteed revenue-sharing deal.

Ojo committed to Texas Tech this afternoon over top schools like Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State, and Ole Miss. ESPN’s Eli Lederman reported that the Red Raiders signed Ojo to a fully guaranteed revenue-share deal worth $5.1 million over three years. On3’s Pete Nakos reported more details of the agreement.

Ojo’s guaranteed rev-share amount is roughly half the $5.1 million, according to Nakos, and the contract pays out $775,000 per year over three years. Including incentives and if the deal is renegotiated, the five-star offensive lineman is set to earn $1.2 million in Year 1, $1.6 million in Year 2 and $2.1 million in Year 3. Nakos added Texas Tech softball helped pull the deal off.

This comes a few days after the House v. NCAA settlement took effect around college athletics. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the settlement back on June 6th after nearly five years since the filing of House v. NCAA. That allowed for revenue-sharing, with schools paying athletes directly, beginning earlier this week on July 1st.

Ojo ranks as the No. 6 overall recruit as a five-star prospect in the 2026 cycle. He also rates as the No. 3 OT in the class, behind Jackson Cantwell (No. 1 – Miami) and Immanuel Iheanacho (No. 4 – Oregon). He is also the No. 1 player in the state of Texas, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Following his July 4th commitment, Ojo becomes Texas Tech’s highest-rated commitment of all time as part of what’s shaping out to be a Top-25 class for the Red Raiders in 2026.

This comes after the spring where Texas Tech became a national player in the NIL and transfer portal landscape. The Red Raiders are coming off of an 8-5 2024 season in Year 3 for head coach Joey McGuire, who signed the No. 1 class in the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to On3. Eight of their 21 portal additions this offseason ranked in the Top-100 of On3’s 2025 Top Transfer Portal Players. Expectations are now becoming more real for the program down in the Big 12, especially if they can capitalize on this season after recruiting success both in the portal and in high school.

For today, though, Texas Tech can enjoy what is the commitment of their highest-ranked recruit in school history. Ojo can celebrate as well with his recruitment ending in what’s reportedly a very large, guaranteed deal for him ahead of his collegiate career in Lubbock.

Syracuse basketball might have an additional regular-season game in the 2026-27 season.

CBS Sports senior writer Matt Norlander, among others, recently reported that the NCAA Division I Council has approved an increase from 31 to 32 contests beginning in 2026-27. Fun.

Norlander points out that college teams don’t have to play 32 encounters, but they will have the option to do so. My assumption is that this extra game would be of the non-conference variety, rather than a league affair.

As I’ve discussed in several recent columns, Atlantic Coast Conference officials for the 2025-26 season decided to increase the number of non-conference games for its members, from 11 to 13, while lowering the numer of conference clashes, from 20 to 18.

The reasoning behind this is to, hopefully, enable ACC schools to schedule more high-profile non-conference contests. Now, in 2026-27, Syracuse basketball could end up with 14 non-conference games, before the ACC Tournament and possible NCAA Tournament or NIT participation.

One of the main facets of the decision to expand to 32 regular-season games centers around multi-team events (“MTEs”). For example, this November, the Orange will suit up in the NIL-driven Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, and the ‘Cuse is expected to have three games there.

With the extra regular-season game, an MTE such as the Players Era Festival could grow from three to four contests for each participant. Or, Syracuse basketball could look to schedule an enticing neutral-site affair before ACC play begins, or even amid conference competition in January or February.

My top candidates to face Syracuse basketball in the extra 2026-27 non-conference game.

Big East flavor
An obvious choice would be to link up with a former Big East Conference foe. At the top of my list would be Rick Pitino-led St. John’s, followed by UConn and then Villanova.

The American and the Atlantic 10
Memphis out of the American Athletic Conference would be cool, or perhaps a talented Atlantic 10 Conference group such as VCU or George Mason, which is in my hometown DMV.

Lots of Big 12 options
The Big 12 Conference is loaded with powerhouse programs, such as Houston, Kansas, Arizona, Iowa State, Baylor and BYU, but let’s look at a match-up with Utah, whose roster includes former Syracuse basketball guard Elijah Moore.

Sparty or the Terps
In the Big Ten Conference, I’m such a huge fan of Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, so a battle with the Spartans could be awesome. Personally, I’d love to see the Orange play my hometown Maryland Terrapins, which is now led by former Marquette, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams.

The loaded SEC
The Southeastern Conference had a historic 2024-25, with Auburn making the Final Four, and Florida cutting down the nets. Syracuse basketball playing either of those schools is enticing, or how about Alabama, which is led by former Buffalo boss Nate Oats, or Kentucky, where former ‘Cuse star Jason Hart is an assistant coach?

West Coast elite
If we’re looking at the West Coast Conference, the cream of the crop entails Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. Either would prove a juicy match-up. Syracuse basketball has played Gonzaga just three times, and I don’t believe the Orange has ever squared off with Saint Mary’s.

The offseason rolls on, as does the evaluation of the current rosters for the 2025-2026 season. Through those evaluations, we can draw many conclusions about how well or poorly a team will perform this season based on their offseason acquisitions. It has allowed me to provide an offseason grade to all of the teams I have evaluated so far. 

Last week, I provided the offseason grades for the Big East conference. This week, let’s dive into another conference with rabid fan bases and premier talent. The Atlantic 10 conference boasts some of the best fan bases in all of college sports, and outside of the last decade, it was one of the premier conferences in the country. The league has some of the most historic teams in the country and usually sends multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament. 

The Atlantic 10 isn’t a mid-major conference that is just happy to be in the NCAA Tournament either. The league usually performs well when playing in the event. The league consistently produces players drafted, and numerous Atlantic 10 players are currently on NBA rosters. The league is continually improving and is poised to have multiple teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament this season.

To clarify a few things, an A grade doesn’t necessarily mean the team will be great. It just means that the team had an offseason that allowed them to meet their needs. Just like an F rating doesn’t necessarily mean the team will be bad, just that they didn’t do an excellent job of fixing the holes in their roster or getting better. Who had the best offseason in the Atlantic 10?

Davidson Wildcats

Davidson did have a winning season last year for the first time under head coach Matt McKillop. The talent that appeared to be returning was elite, enough for the Wildcats to be considered one of the top contenders in the league in the preseason. Unfortunately, Davidson lost a significant amount of talent in the transfer portal, and the roster is now a shell of its former self. As a result, the Wildcats appear more like a .500 team than a league favorite.

Even with a worse roster, at least on paper, the Wildcats have two guys who have an extremely high ceiling. RJ Greer is a top freshman who is poised to have a significant impact on Davidson this year. Finally, Parker Friedrichsen is a transfer from Wake Forest who can shoot and has an Atlantic 10 Player of the Year ceiling. Josh Scovens is a transfer from Army who is an elite scorer. The depth is still an issue for me.

Overall Grade: C

Dayton Flyers

The Dayton program has consistently been the one team to attract top-notch talent every year in the Atlantic 10. The Flyers have lost a significant number of players to the transfer portal over the last two offseasons. Still, coach Grant has done a fantastic job of rebuilding the roster and mitigating the losses incurred through the portal. Expectations will be in place again in 2025-2026.

Coach Grant filled the roster with a wealth of shooting talent and players who have led their teams in scoring at some point in their careers. Jordan Derkack had a tough season last year at Rutgers, but was the NEC Player of the Year two seasons ago. De’Shayne Montgomery is an elite scorer who can score from all three levels. Bryce Heard has a high ceiling and was a highly recruited player coming out of high school two seasons ago.

Overall Grade: A

Duquesne Dukes

The first year under Dru Joyce gave us all a glimpse of how Coach Joyce envisioned the team playing. Duquesne played slow and had one of the best defenses in the country, The Dukes had athletes all over the floor and had players who offered a lot of positional flexibility but didn’t have much height and playing the style that coach Joyce wants to play, size is going to be beneficial and will only help them win games. They added a lot of height in the transfer portal.

Duquesne did lose its top scorer and point guard to the transfer portal. The Dukes do have Maximus Edwards returning and added a talented, efficient scoring freshman guard in Arness Lawson. John Hugley IV is one of the oldest players in college basketball and is the best offensive player for the Dukes. Coach Joyce will be able to put Hugley in a lot of different sets, and he will likely score. Hugley IV has had success at the Power Five level throughout his entire career before arriving in the Atlantic 10.

Overall Grade: A

Fordham Rams

Keith Urgo is out, and Mike Magpayo is in, and that will be good for the Rams and all the fans in Rose Hill. Magpayo plays fast and has his teams shoot a lot of threes; that style is easy to recruit to. Fordham is in the Bronx; they already have a ton of talent in their backyard, and if Magpayo starts winning, the Rams could be the next Atlantic 10 team to start a turnaround.

Fordham built the roster using all transfers, which has had mixed results over the years. Jace Howard is a transfer from Michigan, boasting a high offensive ceiling and likely the most talented offensive player for the Rams. He should be a top-level all-conference player under Magpayo. Louis Lesmond has extensive experience from Harvard and is a skilled three-point shooter.

Overall Grade: C

George Mason Patriots

Tony Skinn is well on his way to bringing the Patriots back to the level they were under Jim Larranaga, and right now, he is on pace to be better. George Mason won a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season and has a lot of momentum heading into the 2025-2026 season. They open as one of the favorites because coach Skinn is elite at recruiting to his efficient offense and smothering defense style. The Patriots have a wealth of talent and have built a significant amount of depth through the transfer portal.

Coach Skinn outrecruited Georgetown and Maryland for 4-star freshman Emmanuel Kanga. He will make a tremendous impact on both sides of the floor. Kory Mincy and Riley Allenspach are both elite scorers. Dola Adebayo plays great post defense and will likely be a fan favorite among George Mason fans. Coach Skinn can play 10 guys with this roster.

Overall Grade: A+

George Washington Revolutionaries

The Revs advanced to the College Basketball Crown last season, marking a significant step forward for the program under head coach Chris Caputo. Caputo has done a great job evaluating and developing talent to the extent that all of his top players are leaving for other schools through the transfer portal. That leaves George Washington to start over almost every season.

Caputo hit a home run in the transfer portal this year and has a lot of guys who can do a lot on both ends of the floor. Jean Aranguren is one of the top point guards in the Atlantic 10 and is expected to lead the Revolutionaries in scoring. Luke Hunger is a load underneath the basket and should thrive after his transfer from Northwestern. Bubu Benjamin is one of the better two-way players in mid-major ranks and offers a ton of positional flexibility. Caputo has a solid class for a team trending in the right direction.

Overall Grade: B

La Salle Explorers

It is the first season for head coach Darris Nichols in Philadelphia. This season may be a challenge, given that the majority of the roster has departed and the team will be brand new. Nichols is a good coach and will be able to recruit good players to Philadelphia, but the first few seasons may be a struggle.

Coach Nichols assembled the roster quickly, and it is full of low-major transfers who are transferring up a level. The players all have experience and have had varying degrees of success at their old schools. Jerome Brewer from McNeese and Marcus Randolph from Saint Peter’s are the best players in the class. There isn’t much depth, and the overall talent is lacking compared to the rest of the league. The Explorers are in a full-on rebuild.

Overall Grade: D

Loyola Ramblers

The Ramblers, outside of Dayton, are one of the few true mid-major programs that consistently bring in quality talent every year. If you don’t believe that, just look at where the players the Ramblers have lost in the transfer portal have ended up. They are losing players to Kansas and acquiring players from NCAA Tournament teams and Power Five schools.

Coach Drew Valentine brought in a top-notch class full of high-quality transfers and two fantastic freshmen, led by 4-star Chuck Love III. Love is the son of a coach and chose Loyola over Illinois and Missouri. Joshua Ola-Joseph and Deywilk Tavarez lead the transfer class. Ola-Joseph is an elite rebounder and finisher around the rim. Tavarez is a great shooter and can put up points quickly.

Overall Grade: A+

Rhode Island Rams

The Rams have struggled to put it all together under head coach Archie Miller, but Rhode Island is coming off its first winning season under Miller, and the hope is that the Rams are trending up. Rhode Island lost a significant amount of talent from the team a season ago. The good eligible players have transferred, and the others have graduated. That leaves the roster with some question marks heading into the season.

The transfer class is a mixed bag, but it does have a star in the ranks in Tyler Cochran from Minnesota. Cochran averaged 15 points last season for Minnesota and will easily lead Rhode Island in scoring. The rest of the commitments have some serviceable role players who should make an impact. The impact is to be determined. The Rams lost more than they gained in the offseason.

Overall Grade: C-

Richmond Spiders

The 2024-2025 season did not go according to plan for the Spiders or coach Chris Mooney. Richmond won 10 games a year after making the NCAA Tournament. The roster was not nearly good enough, and depth was a huge problem. Many of the players underachieved, and injuries derailed the season. Many of the players are returning from last year and have not entered the transfer portal. That is already a big win for Coach Mooney.

The goal was clear for Richmond: go out and acquire more scoring and improve the depth. Coach Mooney completed that goal and got two players who can score and are fantastic shooters. Jaden Daughtry from Indiana State shot 40% from deep last year. The other star transfer, Will Johnston, has been playing college basketball for a long time and will shoot around 36% from deep. If the returning players step up their level of play, it could be a good year in Richmond.

Overall Grade: A

Saint Louis Billikens

Josh Schertz was hired at Saint Louis to turn the team into an Atlantic 10 powerhouse, and he will likely do just that. The Billikens finished in the middle of the pack last year, with a roster constructed quickly by Coach Schertz in the offseason. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, Saint Louis has a solid core of returning players and has bolstered it significantly with the addition of freshman commits and transfers from the transfer portal.

Saint Louis loves players who offer positional flexibility and enjoy shooting threes. Jax Kerr is the incoming freshman to watch for. He is the ceiling of an elite scorer and elite shot blocker. Reminds me a lot of Robbie Avila. 

Paul Otieno is a double-double machine and one of the best rebounders in the country. Otieno leads the transfer class along with elite shooters Brady Dunlap from St. John’s and Dion Brown from Boston College. Saint Louis is an excellent team on paper this season.

Overall Grade: A+

Saint Joseph’s Hawks

The Hawks made the NIT last year, but then promptly lost their best player to the transfer portal. They also saw their big man get drafted by the Phoenix Suns 31st overall. Saint Joseph’s has never had a problem getting talent in Philadelphia. They are one of the most historic programs in the sport and are arguably the best program in Philadelphia. That fact isn’t lost on the players in the transfer portal, and it allowed head coach Billy Lange to secure some high-quality transfers.

The problem with the Hawks’ class is that they are unproven and inexperienced. Deuce Jones from La Salle had the best year of all the transfers. Jones is only entering his sophomore year. Jaiden Glover is the player with the highest ceiling, but he didn’t play much at St. John’s before heading to Saint Joseph’s. The class has the potential to be very good, but there are too many question marks right now.

Overall Grade: C

VCU Rams

VCU made the NCAA Tournament again last year and saw their coach, Ryan Odom, leave for the University of Virginia. The Rams hired Phil Martelli Jr., and the hope is that the new coach will maintain the same level of recruiting and keep VCU at the top. Martelli excels at recruiting players who fit his style and is one of the most exciting young coaches in the game.

VCU is going to play fast and shoot a lot of threes. The style is easy to recruit to, and with the history behind VCU, the Rams will have no trouble getting quality players. Nyk Lewis is one of the best point guard recruits in the country. He loves to get out in transition and play at a fast pace. He can shoot and will make sure everyone gets involved. Lewis is my pick for league freshman of the year.

The transfer portal is full of talent, including Jadrian Tracey, who played a good number of minutes at Oregon last year. Keyshawn Mitchell and Barry Evans played for Martelli at Bryant and are familiar with his playing style. Ahmad Nowell, a sophomore point guard from UConn, also shares a similar approach, prioritizing fast-paced play and distributing the ball effectively. Martelli has a fantastic class after getting hired in March.

Overall Grade: A+

The Atlantic 10 looks to be a competitive conference this year, and based on the offseason, there is a clear top 4 on paper. Games must still be played for the 2025-2026 season, but the most talented teams stand out like a sore thumb. Just remember, because your team didn’t receive an A grade, it doesn’t mean that they will be bad; it just means they didn’t meet their objectives in the offseason and will have to hope that the players develop.

Heading into the Fourth of July, the Ohio State football team was seen as one of the top two schools for Felix Ojo. The five-star tackle had mentioned those were his top two schools as recently as a week ago. Things changed on July 3rd, when something big happened.

That’s when Ojo received a crystal ball prediction to end up at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were not even in his final four schools, which is what made things so shocking. Fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes held out hope that they could still land him, though.

It was not to be. Texas Tech came off the top rope to steal Ojo from both the Buckeyes and the Longhorns. Ojo made that decision on Instagram Live just after 2 pm ET on Friday. It’s clear that Tech came in with a massive NIL bag, and that’s all Ojo is concerned with.

Ohio State football team loses Felix Ojo to Texas Tech at the 11th hour

While Ojo has an impressive set of physical skills, he has been trending in the wrong direction for a while. He got absolutely cooked at the Rivals camp last week, including by an Ohio State recruit. It was so bad that he had to issue a statement about his bad play.

Jumping ship on two teams that have been recruiting him for a while to collect a large bag is a bad look for him. Ohio State has steadily maintained that it will not go crazy for any single recruit when it comes to NIL funds, and they stuck to their principles.

If Ojo really is as good as he thinks he is, a massive NIL bag shouldn’t be what he is chasing. These five-star recruits should be going to programs that can develop them for the next level so that they can excel in the NFL. That’s where the real money is.

Tyler Bowen has been gobbling up offensive linemen, so this isn’t a massive hit. While Ojo was the highest-rated recruit he had on his board, he’s got others who can take his place in the class.

Texas Tech secured a monumental commitment from five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, marking the program’s highest-rated commitment ever. Ojo, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound prospect from Lake Ridge, Texas, chose Texas Tech over Texas and other contenders, ranking as the nation’s No. 5 overall prospect for the class of 2026. In a groundbreaking move, he signed a full-guaranteed three-year, $5.1 million NIL deal—among the largest in college football history. Ojo’s signing is seen as a transformative moment for both the player and the college football landscape.

By the Numbers

• Ojo is ranked No. 5 overall and No. 1 in offensive tackles for the class of 2026.
• His NIL deal totals $5.1 million, representing one of the largest guarantees in college football history.

State of Play

• Ojo’s commitment sets a new standard for Texas Tech’s recruiting efforts.
• The move could influence other high-profile recruits considering the program.

What’s Next

As Ojo transitions to Texas Tech, expectations will grow for his on-field performance. His immediate impact could lead to a recruiting boost for the program, potentially attracting more top talent. The success of his NIL deal may shape future negotiations for other college athletes.

Bottom Line

Felix Ojo’s commitment and NIL deal signify a potential shift in college football dynamics, highlighting the escalating influence of financial incentives in recruiting. His future performance on the field will be closely watched, as it could redefine expectations for both players and programs in the NIL landscape.