Thomas Castellanos commits to Texas Tech for 2026 season

Thomas Castellanos, a well-traveled quarterback with experience at UCF, Boston College, and Florida State, has committed to Texas Tech for the 2026 season. The move, reported on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, comes after a Kentucky judge granted a temporary injunction last week, allowing Castellanos and other athletes from the high school class of 2022 to pursue a fifth year of eligibility. The decision fills a significant gap for the Red Raiders, who lost their expected starter, Brendan Sorsby, due to issues related to gambling and NCAA eligibility.

Castellanos, who went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft and participated in a Miami Dolphins rookie minicamp as a receiver, will join Texas Tech as a backup to junior Will Hammond. Hammond is the projected starter for the Red Raiders' season opener against Abilene Christian on September 5, 2026. Hammond's path to the starting role was cleared after Sorsby, a transfer from Cincinnati, entered treatment for a gambling addiction and subsequently left the program. Sorsby's departure followed legal disputes with the NCAA and Big 12 conference over his eligibility.

The addition of Castellanos provides Texas Tech with an experienced...