“I was sitting there Saturday watching, whenever I got home, watching highlights and a lot of football, and this Heisman race is really unique,” said Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire at the team’s press conference on Monday, Oct. 27. “You usually have a couple guys that really jump out and are leaders in the race, and man, I feel like we got two defensive guys that could easily be in the mix for that.”
McGuire has always been willing to stand by his guys, but he stuck his nose out for one in particular. After the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys, he called out for one of his stars to join the “unique” Heisman race.
Taking to social media, McGuire replied to a post on X from the Texas Tech Football account on Saturday, Oct. 25, saying, “Can we start talking about JRod [Jacob Rodriguez] and the Heisman race?!?!?! #WreckEm.”
Can we start talking about JRod and the Heisman race?!?!?! #WreckEm https://t.co/kgCOI7OKdV
— Joey McGuire 🌵 (@JoeyMcGuireTTU) October 26, 2025
While Rodriguez has not been part of Heisman conversations, maybe he should be. The Red Raiders’ star linebacker leads all players at his position with at least 100 snaps in PFF defense grade (92.7) and run defense grade (97.3) and ranks fourth in coverage grade (88.2). Regardless of position, he ranks second, first, and 23rd, respectively.
On the field, Rodriguez has been a menace. His ability to read and react has been the key to Texas Tech’s dominance, stuffing plays behind the line of scrimmage and tracking down ball carriers. Beyond that, his leadership has transformed the defense as he proves to be one of the best defenders in the country.
“I mean, if you look at the level that he’s playing at for tackles, but the impact he has on games, like once again, you know he’s taking the ball away, and this time he takes it for a touchdown,” McGuire said. “I don’t know who, whenever you look at the Heisman race right now, like who’s the no-brainer? And so it’s been a long time since we’ve looked at a defensive player.”
Rodriguez’s patented capacity for taking the ball away was on full display against Oklahoma State. Running back Sesi Vailahi took a handoff, and as he entered the traffic at the line of scrimmage, Rodriguez stole the ball out of his hands and ripped it for a touchdown.
It was the perfect example of what Rodriguez does on the football field — read, react, and capitalize — potentially creating his own Heisman moment.
.@TexasTechFB defense ➡️ the house
What a play by Jacob Rodriguez 😮💨 Red Raiders lead 28-0#Big12FB | 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/6XPDzgogll
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 25, 2025
Through eight games, Rodriguez has either an interception or a forced fumble in five separate games. He’s punched the ball out five times and picked off opposing quarterbacks twice, proving to be a thorn in the side of offenses everywhere.
“He’s just a great leader for our football team,” said defensive coordinator Shiel Wood. “Defensively, he’s a great leader. He’s a very consistent individual in terms of his preparation, physically, mentally, the work ethic that he has. He’s a great notetaker in meetings. He leads by example.”
Preparation and consistency are keys to Wood’s defense. He preaches these tenets weekly, and that makes Rodriguez the perfect fit. Rodriguez has just two games with a PFF defensive grade below 80 this season and three graded above a 90.
Even in arguably his worst outing, a game against Kansas in which he was responsible for some coverage lapses, he recorded 14 tackles, a sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss, making his impact felt.
Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez looked excellent vs Arizona State in Week 8. Instinctive, quick, and really sound as a run defender.
Finished with six stops and two forced fumbles. pic.twitter.com/oEx6g1ETKx
— Jack Brentnall (@Jack_Brentnall) October 20, 2025
Whether it is likely or not that Rodriguez can enter the Heisman conversation is irrelevant — McGuire’s point was loud and clear. The Texas native is the heartbeat of one of the best defenses in the country, and his head coach is singing his praises.
DraftKings has 24 names listed with Heisman odds, and none of them are defenders, leaving players like Rodriguez, David Bailey, and Miami (FL)’s Reuben Bain Jr. waiting for the next chance a defensive player can win the coveted award.
For Rodriguez, though, he surely will find his recognition one way or another, whether that is in the NFL Draft or other trophies like the Butkus Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award. And as Texas Tech continues to play on the biggest stages, the world will see what he means to the Red Raiders.
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