Among the Texas Tech football position groups to receive a makeover during the off-season were the tight ends.
Baylor Cupp and Henry Teeter finished up at the end of last season, and Jayden York transferred to Houston. Among the newly arrived are three transfers — Jalin Conyers from Arizona State, Jason Llewellyn from Oklahoma and Johncarlos Miller from Elon — plus Trey Jackson, an early enrollee from Dallas South Oak Cliff.
They’ll join Mason Tharp, the main holdover.
“Our tight end room is going to be really special,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said.
Tech spring football started Tuesday without Conyers, who suffered a broken foot during winter workouts. It started with a bang, however, for Miller, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound junior from Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley.
“He showed up big-time,” McGuire said. “Right at the end of our last team red zone, he made a big catch in the end zone. Put one foot down, falling out of bounds, just a big-time catch.”
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Conyers, a 6-4, 265-pound senior from Gruver, was on a scooter on Tuesday, his left foot in an orthopedic boot. The Red Raiders aren’t worried. He’s expected back in June, and he has a track record. Conyers has played college football for four years and, in the past two at Arizona State, he caught 38 passes for 422 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 and 30 for 362 yards in 2023.
“He’s an explosive athlete,” McGuire said, adding that the past two years for the Red Raiders, “he could have played outside receiver and maybe even started for us at outside receiver, and he’s going to play tight end. So really excited about Jalin.”
Conyers has a longstanding connection with Behren Morton. The Tech quarterback said they have known each other since childhood, having attended the same football camp from about third grade through high school. Whereas Morton has spent his entire college career at Tech, Conyers signed with Oklahoma out of high school and spent one year with the Sooners before three Arizona State.
They had stayed in touch, so when Conyers had his name entered into the NCAA transfer portal in December, Morton reached out again.
“I texted him (saying), ‘All right, bro. It’s time to come home,’ ” Morton said. “And he finally decided this was the right fit for him. We’re excited to have him, and hopefully get healthy and get him back on the field.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football welcomes new fleet of tight ends
