The 50 most important college players in Texas in 2017 — No. 32: Texas Tech's Jordyn Brooks

The importance of a player is not always defined by their skill level. The most important player on a team or in a unit is not always the best player on a team. This list is designed to breakdown the 50 most important players in Texas college football for the 2017 season. It is not a ranking of the 50 best college football players in the state. Importance can be defined by position, need, skill or leadership. We’ll count down the list through the summer, all the way to No. 1. Previously:50 – Lamar DE Daniel Crosley / 49 – TCU WR KaVontae Turpin / 48 – UTEP QB Ryan Metz47 – UMHB RB Markeith Miller / 46 – Sam Houston State DE PJ Hall / 45 – Baylor WR Blake Lynch44 – Texas Tech WR Jonathan Giles (transferred) / 43 – Texas Tech RB Justin Stockton42 – PVAMU WR Joshua Simmons / 41 – Rice RB Samuel Stewart / 40 – UNT WR Jalen Guyton39 – Texas RB Chris Warren / 38 – Rice OL Trey Martin / 37 – Texas A&M Commerce QB Luis Perez36 – Baylor DL K.J. Smith / 35 – Texas State LB Gabe Loyd / 34 – Texas State WR Thurman Morbley33 – Houston DB Khalil WilliamsThe History Jordyn Brooks was one the most productive freshmen in the entire country a season ago and he stepped in to lead Texas Tech in tackles. Brooks had 86 tackles and five tackles for loss, ranking atop the Big 12 among freshmen. His 18-tackle performance against Baylor was the most in a game by a Red Raider since 2013. Brooks was named All-Big 12 honorable mention after providing an instant upgrade for the Texas Tech defense right away early in his college career. Brooks racked up 139 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in his high school career at Stratford, where he was regarded as one of the top linebackers in Texas by several recruiting services. The Spartans never lost a district game (20-0) in his three seasons at the varsity level. The Skillset For starters, Brooks looks the part – he’s listed at 6-1, 235 lbs. But in addition to the size, he also has a lot of speed that allows him to make plays all across the line of scrimmage. Brooks can effectively drop into pass coverage as well, and that versatility makes him a valuable piece in the middle of the Texas Tech defense. The Impact The best way to measure Brooks’ impact on the defense is to look at his performance against Baylor last season. With 18 tackles and a forced fumble, Brooks made big play after big play and willed the Red Raiders to a win in the season finale. It’s no secret that as a group, the Texas Tech defense has struggled for the last few years. The Red Raiders have some talent behind Brooks at linebacker, but there are a lot of new faces in the group. Not only will he be relied on as the team’s leading tackler, but Brooks will also have to provide some leadership as a sophomore for a defense with a lot of incoming pieces looking to improve on giving up an average of more than 43 points per game.

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