Texas Tech legend Michael Crabtree, the most decorated wide receiver in Red Raider history and one of the most electrifying players in college football during the 2000s, has been officially inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022.
Crabtree becomes the sixth former Texas Tech player to earn college football’s highest honor, joining E.J. Holub, Donny Anderson, Gabe Rivera, Dave Parks, and Zach Thomas.
In just two seasons (2007–08) under head coach Mike Leach, Crabtree rewrote the NCAA record book:
• First player in FBS history to win back-to-back Fred Biletnikoff Awards (2007, 2008) as the nation’s top wide receiver
• Set freshman records in 2007 with 134 receptions, 1,962 yards, and 22 touchdowns
• Finished career with 231 receptions, 3,127 yards, and 41 total touchdowns
• Broke or tied eight NCAA records, including most games with 100+ receiving yards by a freshman (11)
• Led Texas Tech to an 11–2 record in 2008, capped by a dramatic 39–33 upset of No. 1 Texas on a 28-yard touchdown catch from Graham Harrell with one second remaining
“Michael was a generational talent who changed games every time he touched the field,” said Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire. “His impact on our program, on Lubbock, and on college football as a whole is still felt today. This honor is so well-deserved.”
Crabtree was a unanimous first-team All-American in both 2007 and 2008 and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting as a sophomore. He declared for the 2009 NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season and was selected 10th overall by the San Francisco 49ers.
The Dallas Carter High School product was inducted alongside fellow 2022 class members such as LaVar Arrington (Penn State), Champ Bailey (Georgia), and Andre Ware (Houston).
Wreck ‘Em forever, Michael Crabtree—your name now lives eternally among college football’s immortals.
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