Red Raiders pull off major win with 5-star EDGE Anthony Sweeney: ‘I just couldn’t say no to Texas Tech’

Anthony Sweeney didn’t expect it to happen this fast, but one visit to Texas Tech changed everything.

The five-star edge rusher out of Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy, ranked No. 20 in the Rivals Industry Rankings, had national powers like LSU and South Carolina battling for the top spot in his recruitment.

Then came a three-day trip to Lubbock in early April.

That flipped everything.

“It happened a lot faster than I expected,” Sweeney told Rivals. “I went into that visit expecting to come out, continue to take visits, get to some official visits, then make a tough decision in the summer. That visit really changed everything for me.“

Sweeney was in the Hub City from April 4-6, and it didn’t take long for things to stand out.

“The people were real,” he said. “The environment was different. After being there, I just knew they came up for me. The people, how real they are, and the feeling I had around them changed how I felt about Texas Tech. It showed me a lot.“

Sweeney feels good about the staff in Lubbock

Relationships with the coaching staff played a major role.

Defensive line coach Jacquies Smith stood out early.

“He can develop me,” Sweeney said. “He’s been around the NFL and knows what it takes to get me there. I like his personality. They had David Bailey last year, now they have Coach Smith, with NFL experience, so I really believe in them.“

Head coach Joey McGuire also made a strong impression.

“He’s a great coach — a players’ coach. He’s got great energy and sets his players up for success. You see what he has done with the program.“

That vision resonated.

“He’s building something big,” Sweeney said. “They’re already competing, and I believe they can get to the top. They were in the playoffs last year, and he has made Texas Tech into a national contender.“

Being around the people and the visit itself helped bring everything together.

“It was just different down there,” he said. “The weather, the people — everything. It is so much more than I ever expected. I can see myself fitting there. It felt like the one.”

Texas Tech has everything Anthony Sweeney is looking for

That combination of development, culture and fit made the decision clear.

“Development, the people, the staff, the players — everybody is striving to be great,” Sweeney said. “All of that stood out.”

The resources only added to it.

“The facilities, the training staff, the equipment — everything is there,” he said.

After returning home, the decision came quickly.

“Me and my family talked it over and decided a couple of days after the visit,” Sweeney said.

Despite heavy pushes from LSU and South Carolina, Texas Tech closed strong.

“I just couldn’t say no to Texas Tech,” Sweeney said.