Texas Tech senior wide receiver Derrick Willies was named Thursday afternoon to the watch list of players vying for a spot to play in the 2018 Senior Bowl held Jan. 27 in Mobile, Alabama.
Willies is one of more than 400 student-athletes from across the nation named to the watch list that will eventually be trimmed to 110 roster spots for the annual game split between the North and South squads.
The Senior Bowl annually features the nation’s top seniors who practice under the direction of NFL coaching staffs. Le’Raven Clark and DeAndre Washington were the last Red Raiders to play in the game as they were selected following the 2015 season.
Willies, a native of San Bernadino, California, battled injuries in his first season as a Red Raider en route to recording 18 catches for 288 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He played in just eight games, including four starts.
Willies arrived at Tech prior to the 2016 season from Trinity Valley Community College where he was a big-play threat with a nation-leading 23.6 yards per reception average. He earned NJCAA first team All-America accolades and was regarded as one of the top junior college prospects in the country.
The Red Raiders kick off the 2017 season in just nine days as Tech welcomes Eastern Washington to Jones AT&T Stadium on Sept. 2. Ticket packages are still available for all six games this season by calling 806-742-TECH.
(Courtesy: Texas Tech Sports Communications Department)