Joey McGuire says Texas Tech will explore adding NFL cut players, probing Big 12 roster rules

Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire says his staff will “definitely” look at adding a player who was with an NFL team but did not stick, framing it as part of a broader effort to keep improving the Red Raiders’ roster. McGuire’s comment points to a practical question that has taken on new urgency in college football: how different conference rules treat players who have been under contract with NFL teams.

According to McGuire, he sees an opening because not all conferences handle this situation the same way. He referenced rules that have been adopted by the Big Ten and SEC that, as described by Yahoo Sports, make players ineligible to play in either conference if they have been under contract with NFL teams. McGuire’s stance suggests Texas Tech views the Big 12 as having no comparable restriction, at least in the specific category he is discussing.

McGuire tied the issue directly to job security and day-to-day team building. He said he has to win to keep his job and therefore will constantly work on what he called improving the team and improving the roster. In that framing, an NFL cut player is not presented as a one-off novelty, but as a resource category that could help Texas Tech find proven, experienced depth, especially in positions where reps matter early in the season.

The contrast between conference eligibility frameworks matters for any program trying to build with minimal friction. If a player meets the eligibility standard in one conference but not another, the recruiting and roster calculus changes quickly. For Texas Tech, the “roster-wise” emphasis implies the staff believes it can identify talent that has been evaluated at the professional level and still fit within Big 12 regulations, even if that player is not on an NFL active roster.

Still, McGuire’s approach does not automatically guarantee that every NFL camp participant will be a viable candidate in practice. Eligibility in college football can be affected by multiple factors beyond NFL contract status, including how time under contract is categorized, whether the player has other disqualifying circumstances, and what the relevant conference office and the NCAA consider within their operating rules. Texas Tech would also have to weigh fit, scholarship availability, and how quickly the player can assimilate into the Red Raiders’ scheme and academic requirements.

For fans, the next thing to watch is whether Texas Tech turns the statement into a roster move. Even if the staff targets players cut from training camps, the effective impact will show up in offseason preparation, position depth charts, and early-season rotations. McGuire’s comments also raise the broader question of whether other Big 12 programs will follow a similar path, especially as the market for experienced bodies fluctuates and coaches look for advantages that do not exist in conferences with stricter eligibility limitations.