2025 Football Roster
Roster
Holmes Jr., A.J.
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Jersey Number 33
A.J. Holmes Jr.
- Position:
- Defensive Line
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 300
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Houston, Texas
- High School:
- Westfield
Bio
2025 (JUNIOR)
PRIOR TO TEXAS TECH
HIGH SCHOOL
PERSONAL
- Joined the Red Raiders prior to the spring of 2025 ... will have two seasons of eligibility at Texas Tech.
PRIOR TO TEXAS TECH
- Arrived at Texas Tech after spending first three years of collegiate career at the University of Houston ... the Cougars competed in the AAC his first season (2022) before the program joined the Big 12 the following year ... familiar with new defensive system at Texas Tech after playing under defensive coordinator Shiel Wood while at Houston in 2024.
- Saw action in 29 total games during Houston career with 16 starts … called up to start for the Cougars as only a true freshman before becoming a regular up front … registered 67 tackles (37 solo) for his career, including 13.5 for a loss and 4.5 sacks … combined to play in 1,256 defensive snaps as a Cougar according to Pro Football Focus, creating 52 total pressures during that span.
- 2024 SEASON (SOPHOMORE at HOUSTON): regular on the defensive front as a sophomore, starting in all 12 games at defensive tackle … led all Houston defensive linemen with 639 defensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus … recorded 40 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss, both career highs for a single season … had 2.0 sacks as part of that total to go along with seven quarterback hurries … posted multiple tackles in 10 of 12 games overall to join seven other Cougars with at least 40 tackles on the season.
- Credited with 639 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, the most in his college career … ranked second on the team with 26 total pressures per PFF with 20 of those coming from quarterback hurries … ranked third among Big 12 interior defenders and led all 2027 NFL Draft-eligible FBS interior defenders in quarterback hurries according to PFF … his 26 pressures ranked tied for fifth among all Big 12 interior defensive linemen and led all 2027 NFL Draft-eligible FBS interior defenders.
- Recorded at least a share of a tackle for loss in seven of nine Big 12 contests overall, including a career-high 2.0 at Arizona (11/15) late in the season … performance was part of four tackles, which also included a solo sack for a seven-yard loss … posted 1.5 tackles for loss in back-to-back weeks at Cincinnati (9/21) and versus Iowa State (9/28) … started a stretch of four-consecutive games with at least one tackle for loss after recording one tackle behind the line of scrimmage at both TCU (10/4) and Kansas (10/9) … performance versus Iowa State included his first sack of the season for a seven-yard loss … capped the season with a career-high seven tackles versus Baylor (11/23).
- 2023 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN at HOUSTON): became a regular contributor as a redshirt freshman, appearing in all 12 games with three starts ... compiled 21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks across 12 games ... was third on the team with his 4.5 tackles for loss … combined for nine of 21 stops over final three games of the season.
- Led all UH defensive linemen with 461 defensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus ... ranked eighth among all Big 12 interior defensive linemen with 20 quarterback pressures and ranked ninth in the conference with 15 quarterback hurries per PFF ... his 68.9 overall defensive grade by PFF was tops among Big 12 freshmen interior defenders.
- Tallied single-game season highs in tackle for loss (2.5) and sacks (1.5) versus Cincinnati (11/11) ... had a single-game season high of four tackles in games versus UTSA (9/2) and Cincinnati (11/11) ... recorded multiple stops in six different contests with two tackles versus TCU (9/16), Sam Houston State (9/23) and Oklahoma State (11/18) as well as three in the regular-season finale at UCF (11/25) … both tackles versus Sam Houston resulted in losses, including one for a sack.
- 2022 SEASON (FRESHMAN/HOUSTON): redshirt season … appeared in four regular-season games as well as the Independence Bowl as only a true freshman … recorded six tackles overall with one shared stop that went for a loss … credited with 156 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus … received a 77.4 overall grade by the publication, which led all AAC true freshman interior defensive linemen (minimum 150 snaps) … earned his first career start late in the season versus Temple (11/12), finishing with three tackles and a forced fumble in the win … graded out at 83.3 overall by PFF against the Owls with an 82.4 grade as a pass rusher, which ranked second on the team … previously made his debut versus USF (10/29) with two stops, including his first career tackle for loss and quarterback hurry … followed with another tackle the next week at SMU (11/5).
HIGH SCHOOL
- Attended Westfield High School in his hometown of Houston … among the top high school prospects from the Houston area … was a three-year letterwinner at Westfield, which was also the alma mater of Ed Oliver, who starred at Houston before being selected ninth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
- Named the District 14-6A Most Valuable Player as a senior after logging 96 tackles, 54 solo tackles and 26 tackles for loss over 12 games ... added 16 sacks and averaged 8.0 tackles per game that season … contributed two takeaways by returning an interception for a touchdown and recovering one fumble over the course of the 2021 season. Â
- Recorded 13 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and one sack as a junior in 2020 … averaged 6.5 tackles per game that season from his spot on the interior defensive line ... as a sophomore, posted 16 tackles (nine solo), including 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks to go along with a fumble recovery. Â
- Consensus three-star prospect coming out of high school by the likes of 247Sports, On3, ESPN and Rivals … ranked as high as No. 47 by ESPN among interior defensive linemen … was a top-100 recruit in the state of Texas by both 247Sports and ESPN, ranking No. 87 and No. 89, respectively, by both publications … chose Houston over similar offers from the likes of TCU, Virginia, Minnesota and Colorado, among others.
PERSONAL
- Anthony Holmes Jr. ... son of Anthony Holmes Sr. and Carlisha Holmes ... nickname is A.J., short for Anthony Junior … named after his father.
- Anthony Holmes Sr. played linebacker and running back at Northwestern State (2003-06) and was a 2A All-State honoree in high school.
- Enjoys hunting and fishing in his spare time... would like to pursue being a trainer or a coach after football.
- An explore business and industry major at Texas Tech.
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