Jacob Rodriguez
{{short description|American football player}}
{{Infobox college football player
| name = Jacob Rodriguez
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| school = Texas Tech Red Raiders
| currentnumber = 10
| currentposition = Linebacker
| class = {{redshirt}} Junior
| major = History
||birth_date =
| birth_place = Hastings, Minnesota
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 230
| highschool = S. H. Rider (Wichita Falls, Texas)
| bowlgames =
- 2023 Independence Bowl (Def. MVP)
2024 Liberty Bowl (Def. MVP)
| highlights =
| pastschools =
- Virginia (2021)
- Texas Tech (2022–present)
|espn=4566094
}}
Jacob Rodriguez is an American football linebacker for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He previously played for the Virginia Cavaliers.
Early life and high school
Rodriguez was born in Hastings, Minnesota, to Joe and Ann Rodriguez.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Don |title=Success started early for Texas Tech football's Jacob Rodriguez as a youth wrestling star |url=https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2024/09/12/texas-tech-football-linebacker-jacob-rodriguez-minnesota-wrestling-background/75094421007/ |website=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |date=12 September 2024 |access-date=November 10, 2024}} He moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, with his family at age 10.
Rodriguez attended S. H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls. He was rated as a three-star recruit{{cn|date=January 2025}} and committed to play college football for the Virginia Cavaliers.{{cite web |last1=Hall |first1=Jonathan |title=Rider quarterback Jacob Rodriguez commits to University of Virginia |url=https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2020/04/27/wichita-falls-rider-raiders-qb-jacob-rodriguez-commits-university-virginia-cavaliers-football/3033542001/ |website=Times Record News |date=27 April 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2024}}
College career
= Virginia =
As a freshman in 2021, Rodriguez played all 12 games as a quarterback and a "football player", notching ten carries for 56 yards and hauling in eight receptions for 65 yards. After the season, he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.{{cite web |last1=Newton |first1=Matt |title=Virginia QB Jacob Rodriguez Enters Transfer Portal |url=https://www.si.com/college/virginia/football/jacob-rodriguez-enters-transfer-portal |work=Virginia Cavaliers on SI |publisher=SI.com |date=3 December 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2024}}
= Texas Tech =
Rodriguez transferred to play for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, where he switched to linebacker.{{cite web |last1=Ramierz |first1=Jarrett |title=Tech's Rodriguez assuming larger role at inside linebacker spot |url=https://texastech.rivals.com/news/tech-s-rodriguez-assuming-larger-role-at-inside-linebacker-spot |work=RedRaiderSports.com |publisher=Rivals.com |date=3 August 2023 |access-date=November 10, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Don |title=Texas Tech football: Jacob Rodriguez impresses in spring practice |url=https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/football/2022/04/06/texas-tech-football-uva-transfer-jacob-rodriguez-impresses-spring-practice/9475131002/ |website=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |date=6 April 2022 |access-date=November 10, 2024}} In his first season with Texas Tech in 2022, he appeared in 12 games where he notched 29 tackles with two being for a loss, and a forced fumble.{{cite web |title=Jacob Rodriguez 2022 Game Logs |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jacob-rodriguez-1/gamelog/2022/ |website=Sports Reference |access-date=November 10, 2024}} In week 10 of the 2023 season, Rodriguez notched six tackles in a win over TCU.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Don |title=Texas Tech football staff plans to hold Jacob Rodriguez to 4-game redshirt limit |url=https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2023/11/06/texas-tech-football-staff-plans-to-redshirt-linebacker-jacob-rodriguez-after-foot-injury/71438463007/ |website=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |date=6 November 2023 |access-date=November 10, 2024}} He finished the 2023 season playing in just five games due to injury, where he totaled 32 tackles with one being for a loss, two pass deflections, an interception, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.{{cite web |last1=Ramirez |first1=Jarrett |title=How an unorthodox training regimen is impacting LB Jacob Rodriguez |url=https://texastech.rivals.com/news/how-an-unorthodox-training-regimen-is-impacting-lb-jacob-rodriguez |work=RedRaiderSports.com |publisher=Rivals.com |date=8 August 2024 |access-date=November 10, 2024}} In week 6 of the 2024 season, Rodriguez was named the Bednarik Defensive player of the week after notching 13 tackles with one being for a loss, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble in a win over Arizona.{{cite web |last1=Hamm |first1=Timothy |title=Red Raiders LB Jacob Rodriguez Named National Defensive Player of the Week |url=https://athlonsports.com/college/red-raider-review/texas-tech-red-raiders-jacob-rodriguez-bednarik-defensive-player-of-the-week-big-12-news-update |work=RedRaiderReview.com |publisher=Athlon Sports |date=8 October 2024 |access-date=November 10, 2024}} In week 10, he tallied 13 tackles with two and a half being for a loss, and two sacks in an upset win over Iowa State, earning Big 12 defensive player of the week honors.{{cite web |last1=Hamm |first1=Timothy |title=Red Raiders' Jacob Rodriguez Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week |url=https://athlonsports.com/college-football/texas-tech-red-raiders-football-jacob-rodriguez-big-12-defensive-player-of-the-week-update-news-rumors |website=Athlon Sports |date=5 November 2024 |access-date=November 10, 2024}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://texastech.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-rodriguez/13042 Texas Tech Red Raiders bio]
- [https://virginiasports.com/player/jacob-rodriguez/ Virginia Cavaliers bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Jacob}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Players of American football from Wichita Falls, Texas
Category:American football linebackers