Joey McGuire's Texas Tech lands commitment from Tieson Ejiawoko to the class of 2026

Three-star linebacker Tieson Ejiawoko, from East View High School in Texas, committed to Texas Tech's 2026 recruiting class. He announced his commitment on social media on Friday, choosing coach Joey McGuire's Red Raiders over Oregon State, Washington State, UNLV, Houston, North Texas, Connecticut and Houston, among others.

Ejiawoko is ranked as the No. 229 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 20 linebacker in the 2026 class and the No. 32 overall player in Texas, according to On3. He is also ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 23 linebacker in the class and the No. 39 overall player in the state.

During his sophomore year, Ejiawoko recorded 60 tackles and 3 sacks, proving his ability to impact the game both as a tackler and a pass rusher. He is a multi-sport athlete, competing in track and field. He excels in the shot put, where he set a personal record with a throw of 43' 5.5".

Tieson Ejiawoko's interest on Texas Tech increased after his last-month visit

Tieson Ejiawoko's journey to becoming the first pledge in Texas Tech's 2026 recruiting class began when he attended the Red Raiders' summer camp last year. At that time, he was an emerging talent (sophomore) without much school experience, so the coaching staff wasn’t initially focused on him.

But everything changed due to the efforts of his defensive coordinator, who had a strong connection with coach Joey McGuire.

The coach sent his film to McGuire and urged him to take notice. Coach McGuire responded by extending an offer to Ejiawoko on January 31, marking his sixth overall offer.

Ejiawoko's interest in Texas Tech deepened during his visit to the program for a pool party event last month.

"It was great," Ejiawoko told ITRR. "I had a lot of fun spending the day with the coaching staff. They were very welcoming and I was impressed with what they were doing program and facility wise. I overall loved my time in Lubbock," he added.

The relationship Ejiawoko built with Texas Tech’s staff also played a crucial role in his commitment.

"I was talking with Coach Bookbinder a lot and just really connecting and trying to build a relationship," Ejiawoko said. "The hospitality and the facilities stood out. It's an amazing thing to witness and be apart of," he added.

Tieson Ejiawoko now plans to attend a Texas Tech game in the upcoming season.