Coach Joey McGuire and Texas Tech made their move on Thursday, hosting one of the most coveted edge defenders remaining in the transfer portal for an on-campus visit. With Miami standing as the only serious challenger and expected to receive the final visit, the recruitment has narrowed into an actual two-team battle entering its decisive stage.

DE Damon Wilson entered the transfer portal on January 6 and is coming off a breakout season at Missouri. He slotted in as the No. 7 available transfer this cycle and the No. 2 pass rusher on the market.

In 13 games, he stacked up 23 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, multiple forced turnovers, and even an interception, while posting one of the highest pressure rates in the SEC at just over 21%. For a player who began his career as a five-star Georgia signee and top-20 national prospect, this was the season that finally put him in the national spotlight.

That surge is exactly what Joey McGuire and Texas Tech are selling him. This season, Tech’s defensive front under Shiel Wood was relentless, finishing top 10 nationally in sacks and top five in tackles for loss while riding that pressure-heavy identity all the way to a Big 12 title and a CFP berth.

McGuire has established a reputation for allowing edge defenders to hunt, as seen by players like Stanford transfer David Bailey, John Curry, and Jacob Rodriguez. This reputation provides Texas Tech a significant edge in this race as Damon Wilson considers which environment best suits his NFL goals.

Miami isn’t going away quietly, and that’s what makes this decision challenging. With one of the nation’s most aggressive NIL infrastructures and a solid defensive record, the Hurricanes will have their chance to leave a lasting impact after a long CFP run. But in this case, Texas Tech’s timing matters.

Hosting Wilson first allowed McGuire to set the tone, walk him through a defense, and show how he could be the next centerpiece. With the portal window closing, that early edge could loom large as Wilson closes in on a decision.

Damon Wilson II eyes a fresh start amid legal battle

Off the field, Damon Wilson II’s name now carries a legal battle that has followed him since his exit from Georgia. After the University of Georgia Athletic Association sued him for $390,000 over an alleged breach of an NIL agreement, Wilson fired back with a lawsuit of his own, insisting the deal was never a binding contract in the first place.

“When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same,” the program said.

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He claims that Georgia and its former collective misrepresented the situation to other universities, even saying that, to move, he owed programs a $1.2 million buyout.

“After all the facts come out, people will be shocked at how the University of Georgia treated a student athlete,” said Bogdan Susan, the attorney who is representing Damon Wilson. “It has never been about the money for Damon, he just wants to play the game he loves and pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.”

The legal drama hasn’t slowed his momentum, and with one year of eligibility left, he’s now looking for a program that offers stability and a chance to shine.

For Joey McGuire and Texas Tech, that’s precisely the opening they’ve been waiting for, an opportunity to show Wilson he can control his next chapter after a chaotic stretch.