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Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby throws a ball during the spring game. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images for ONIT)

Texas Tech football pivots to life after Brendan Sorsby right away. The once prized transfer portal quarterback find out of Cincinnati instead opts for the NFL Supplemental Draft, all amid his controversial gambling suspension. Now the Red Raiders pulled off their first major future roster move Tuesday, via the recruiting trail.

Texas Tech secured its first commit after the Sorsby drama: Four-star Joshua Banks, who becomes a local pickup for head coach Joey McGuire and his coaching staff.

Banks hails from Humble, Texas and turns down Big 12 rivals Arizona, Baylor, Houston plus some notable SEC offers for the Red Raiders. The 6-foot-0 defender said no to Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas regarding his SEC opportunities.

But again, this move takes the mind off Sorsby for TTU fans. Especially in diving into Banks’ skillset.

Texas Tech Move Fuels new Defensive Identity

McGuire and the Big 12 champs pull in the nation’s No. 28 overall CB per 247Sports.

Banks presents scrappy ball-hawking skills mixed with versatility over to Lubbock. Red Raiders fans will love his change of direction speed that sharpened thanks to his track and field background. Banks runs the 100-meter dash in sub-11.00, which hands him an edge in turning and running.

But TTU lands more than a future lockdown cornerback in the Big 12. Banks presents a deadly return element on kickoffs and punt returns who can take back kicks to the end zone. The star from Humble Atascocita High played some offense too, so he’ll understand different routes and how to exploit them moving forward.

Texas Tech fielded one of the nation’s best defenses during its run to the College Football Playoffs. McGuire oversaw the No. 3 overall unit, one of the highest rankings TTU ever produced on that side of the football.

Texas Tech Loading up Recruiting Wise

He’s one of the few recruits who starred in another state as well.

Banks previously lined up for Vista Murrieta High School in California’s Inland Empire. He returned one kick for a score while picking off two passes during the 2024 season in Southern California.

Now Banks adds a brand new versatile defender post Jacob Rodriguez. He also joins the nation’s No. 8 overall recruiting class per On3/Rivals.

Texas Tech Moving Forward From Brendan Sorsby

Sorsby became a complex and controversial figure during the summer before the 2026 football season.

He first faced eligibility issues over his reported gambling addiction, which unveiled he bet on live college football games. However, a Lubbock judge ruled in favor of Sorsby, preventing the NCAA from suspending him for the entire season. Sorsby received a two-game suspension by result of the judge’s ruling…which fired off a flurry of criticism toward the Red Raiders.

Texas Tech’s own conference intervened, though. The Big 12 sent a 47-page complaint about Sorsby and threatened sanctions if he played a single snap.

So now Sorsby chose to leave Lubbock and pursue a late NFL opportunity. Except he leaves without throwing a single pass in a Red Raiders uniform during a live regular season game. He must lean into his 2025 film from the Bearcats to persuade pro teams about giving him a chance.

Still, Banks’ addition started the process of making fans forget about Sorsby.