Tahj
Brooks.
Tahj
Brooks.
Texas Tech· 5'9"· 214 lb· 4.52s 40
"A five-year Texas Tech workhorse who left with 4,566 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns, Brooks is a dense, low-center-of-gravity back whose limited long speed caps him as a physical committee runner rather than a lead option."Pre-draft read
Brooks runs low and heavy at 5-9, 214. He presses the line patiently, cuts once, and delivers contact rather than absorbing it; tacklers who arrive high slide off. The 2024 season — 286 carries for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns — was a volume showcase, and he never looked worn down by it, which speaks to both durability and running style.
What he does not have is a second gear. The 4.52 forty matches the tape: he wins the first ten yards and gets caught after twenty. He is a willing pass protector with real anchor for his size, and he has 102 career receptions, though most came as checkdowns rather than as a route-running weapon.
Inside-zone and duo run game that rewards a one-cut, downhill runner working behind a physical line.
Year 1 rotational RB3 and special teamer with short-yardage carries; committee back by Year 2.
Outside-zone stretch offense built on perimeter speed and home-run explosiveness.
Tahj Brooks Texas tech full highlights
Game film cut-up of Tahj Brooks's Texas Tech tape.
Tahj Brooks 2024 Regular Season Highlights | 2024 Big 12 Football
Game film cut-up of Tahj Brooks's Texas Tech tape.
Tahj Brooks 2025 NFL Draft Tape | Texas Tech RB
Game film cut-up of Tahj Brooks's Texas Tech tape.
- 01
Contact Balance
Brooks consistently falls forward and breaks arm tackles.
- 02
Career Production
He recorded 4,566 career rushing yards and 45 touchdowns.
- 03
Durability
Brooks handled 881 career carries with no durability red flags.
- 04
Pass Protection
He is a willing, competent pass protector with a strong base.
- 05
Receiving Ability
Brooks made 102 career catches, showing reliable hands.
- 01
Lacks Breakaway Speed
Brooks' long runs are often caught from behind.
- 02
Limited Route Tree
His route tree is limited beyond flats and checkdowns.
- 03
Vision in Gap Schemes
His vision can be tight in gap schemes when the first read closes.
- 04
College Mileage
Brooks has heavy college mileage on a compact frame.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.52sp50
- Vertical
- 35inp50
- Broad jump
- 120inp50
- Three-cone
- 6.90sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.06sp50
- Bench
- 16repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Att | Yds | TD | Rec | RecYds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Texas Tech | 7 | 69 | 255 | 4 | 12 | 58 |
| 2021 | Texas Tech | 9 | 87 | 568 | 7 | 6 | 52 |
| 2022 | Texas Tech | 13 | 148 | 693 | 7 | 28 | 170 |
| 2023 | Texas Tech | 13 | 291 | 1545 | 10 | 29 | 69 |
| 2024 | Texas Tech | 11 | 286 | 1505 | 17 | 27 | 185 |
| Career | — | 53 | 881 | 4566 | 45 | 102 | 534 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
- Behren MortonQB20%
- Josh KellyWR13%
- Will HammondQB11%
#4 of 19 tracked contributors · Production leaned on volume · Offense explosiveness 1.32 (p75) · CFBD — usage x PPA per tracked player
Brooks projects as a tough, physical back like Murray, capable of handling a significant workload and excelling in short-yardage and goal-line situations as a strong RB2.
Like Walker, Brooks is a powerful, low-to-the-ground runner who can break tackles and gain significant yardage after contact, making him a lead back in a committee.
At his floor, Brooks offers value as a strong special teams player and a reliable third-down back, similar to Ogunbowale, with limited carries but good blocking.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Drafted in the sixth round by Cincinnati in 2025, entering the league as a physical short-yardage and rotational back.
Production this large rarely lasts this long, and the reason is straightforward: 4,566 yards in the Big 12 came from durability and contact balance, not from separation speed, and NFL teams price speed.
In hindsight Cincinnati found a useful complementary piece. A back who protects the quarterback, converts third-and-one and never fumbles the moment away has a job, particularly behind an offense that throws as much as this one does.
The ceiling is a committee starter on a team that runs inside zone and duo. The floor is a special-teams roster body. Both outcomes are reasonable, and either one justifies a sixth-round pick.