Manor High School saw another prospect taken in the NFL draft, as the Cincinnati Bengals took Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks on Friday with the 193rd pick in the sixth round.
Brooks is the most prolific running back in Texas Tech history, full stop. He became the Red Raiders‘ all-time leading rusher in his final college season, finishing his five-year career with 4,560 yards and 45 touchdowns on 879 carries. In high school, 247Sports ranked him as the 81st-best prospect in the Lone Star State.
The Central Texas native’s last two years in Lubbock were his best, running for 3,046 yards and 27 touchdowns. He averaged 5.26 yards per carry in 2024, with his highlight being a 188-yard, three-touchdown performance against West Virginia. He was selected second-team All Big 12, with Arizona State‘s Cam Skattebo taking the first-team spot.
Brooks was high school teammates with Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Guyton and recent Carolina Panthers draft pick Princely Umanmielen. At the NFL combine, Brooks measured 5-foot-9, 214 pounds and ran a 4.52 40-yard dash with a 1.56 10-yard split.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler mentions his 879 carries as a reason for trepidation, though he praises his “agility, contact balance and feel as a runner.”
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Tahj Brooks taken by Cincinnati Bengals in NFL draft