Welcome to the sixth post in our twelve-part recruiting breakdown series. Today will look at the #6 team in our rankings, New Mexico. The Lobos signed a large recruiting class filled with talent, especially from the surrounding states of Arizona, Texas, California, and, of course, New Mexico. Read all about this class below.
The Skinny:
- Recruits signed: 58
- High school: 25
- JUCO: 6
- Transfers: 27
- Offensive: 29
- Defensive: 25
- Special Teams: 4
- Number of 3-stars per 247 rankings: 25
- Players with a rating over 85: 9
- Players with a rating over 82: 16
- Breakdown by state (excluding transfers):
- Arizona: 7
- Texas: 7
- California: 6
- New Mexico: 4
- Illinois: 2
- Kansas: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nevada: 1
- Oklahoma: 1
- Oregon: 1
- 247 Rankings (subject to change)
- Recruiting: 91
- Transfer: 124
- Overall: 97
The Players:
QB Cade Mitchell
Stand-out skills:
- Cannon for an arm, even when he’s throwing off his back foot
- At his best when he can roll out and has the option to run or pass
- Able to go through multiple reads each play to find the open receiver
- Good vision to see the field when he decides to take off and run
WR Dorian Patterson
Stand-out skills:
- Strong route-runner with smooth cuts to gain a step on his man
- Great size to create an advantage in jump balls
- Explosive after the catch, finding another gear and blowing by the defense
- Ideal combination of skills to make an impact in the return game
WR Bailen George
Stand-out skills:
- Utilizes his straight-line speed on deep routes to take the top off the defense
- Difficult to tackle due to his low center of gravity
- Electric runner in space, putting defenders on skates as they can’t keep up
- Gets great releases at the line of scrimmage to have a clear lane to run his routes
WR DJ Darling
Stand-out skills:
- Able to pile up yards after the catch in the screen game
- Impressive hands to come down with difficult catches
- Effective on routes over the middle of the field, where he can catch the ball in stride
- Follows his blocks well to find the open running lanes after the catch
WR Jacob Maldonado
Stand-out skills:
- Consistently creates separation in the endzone to secure touchdowns
- Reliable hands to come down with balls on tough catches
- Sneaky speed to get behind the defense for chunk plays
- Versatile player who can run traditional routes or take sweeps in the backfield
WR Massiah
Mingo
Stand-out skills:
- Does a great job tracking the ball in the air on deep routes
- Excels on misdirection plays where his speed and quickness make it tough for the defense to recover
- Goes all out to make catches, giving max effort to make the play
- At his best on swing passes and screens, where he can get the ball in space and let his instincts take over
TE Nick Barber
Stand-out skills:
- Big target who is difficult to bring down once he gets going after the catch
- Effective on short routes to the flat or play action passes
- Aggressive blocker who drives linebackers out of the play
- Able to line up along the line or in the slot on offense
OL Braden Chick
Stand-out skills:
- Smart player who executes his assignment, and is used in some advanced ways on the field
- Formidable in pass protection with his technique and strength
- Quick burst to pancake defenders to take them out of the play
- Can get to the second level with his blocks consistently on run plays
OL Ty Gates
Stand-out skills:
- Displays sound technique and footwork in pass proection
- Overpowers defenders in the run game with his size and strength
- Deciphers defensive schemes right away and adjusts accordingly
- Long and lean tackle who projects to add more muscle as he grows
OL Brody Litton
Stand-out skills:
- Assest in the run game, resetting the line of scrimmage put defensive linemen on their heels
- Menacing lineman who doesn’t stop block players until the whistle blows
- Maintains a low stance and explodes into his hits
- Shines in run-blocking, making him an ideal guard at the next level
OL Sebastian Dawkins
Stand-out skills:
- Springs into action immediately after the ball is snapped
- A mauler in the run-game, especially when he gets a running start on blocks when pulling
- Nice lateral footwork in pass protection
- Versatility to play any of the interior OL spots
OL Danzel Newell
Stand-out skills:
- Solid footwork, espeically going backward, to neturalize pass rushers
- Technically sound in pass protection, displaying quickness in short stints
- Size and strengths allows him to gain the edge in run-blocking
- Locks onto defenders, not letting them go until the play is over
OL Matthew Alderman
Stand-out skills:
- Initiates contact right away, hitting defenders before they can react
- High football IQ, evident by his abilityt to adapt as he reacts to the defense
- Abilty to take DL completely out of the play with his blocks in the run game
- Opens up big holes in the run game for running backs
OL Joshua Meisner
Stand-out skills:
- Seeks out additional players to block after completing his initial assignment
- Regularly used as the lead blocker in runs up the middle to provide a running lane for RBs
- Displays the ability to react to different defensive schemes and blitz packages
- Able to play center and guard with no issue
DL Jerbralon Stewart
Stand-out skills:
- Hard hitter who squares up well when making contact
- Aggressive lineman who plays through the whistle
- Plays with a high motor, giving max effort on every play
- Two-way player who can handle a variety of roles on the field
DE Walter Moore
Stand-out skills:
- Makes quick moves to evade blocks at the line of scrimmage
- Keeps his hands active to bat down passes and get hits on the quarterback
- Forcefully brings plays down in the backfield for losses
- Athletic enough to moonlight as a wide receiver with speed and catching ability
LB Ricklan Holmes II
Stand-out skills:
- Great game speed as he flies into the thick of the action
- Plugs up the gaps to neutralize the run game
- Doesn’t give up on plays, coming from across the field to make a tackle
- An athlete who can play all different positions on both sides of the ball
LB Eli Cramer-Cronin
Stand-out skills:
- Excellent in coverage, jumping passes, and coming up with interceptions
- Strong tackler on the run
- Can make an impact when blitzing, shooting through the gaps to make a play
- Great instincts of where to be on the field to cause havoc
LB Hayes Baum
Stand-out skills:
- Great tackler in the open field, taking good angles to make sure he doesn’t miss
- Fights through blocks to make plays in the backfield
- Bursts of quickness to chase down quarterbacks and running backs
- Productive blitzer who can power through tackles who stand in his way.
DB Jaron Liles
Stand-out skills:
- Great hands to make plays on the ball
- Tracks the ball in the air well from his time as a receiver
- Gets in the proper position as a deep safety to shade wherever the ball goes.
- Nice closing speed to deflect a pass or make a tackle
DB Xavier Rivera-Rogers
Stand-out skills:
- Ability to diagnose plays as they develop and flock to the ball
- Solid in coverage, jumping routes and out-leaping receivers for passes
- Able to keep his eyes on his man and the quarterback to know when the ball is coming
- Squares up on his tackles to deliver big hits
DB Azari Warren
Stand-out skills:
- Plays tight coverage allowing him to bat down passes that come his way
- Doesn’t give up on any plays, believing he can make any tackle
- Textbook tackler in the flat to stop ball carriers in their tracks
- Distinguished kick/punt returner who can create short fields for the offense
DB Kingston Spivey
Stand-out skills:
- Solid in the run game on the edge as he gets of screens to make the tackle
- A capable blitzer off the edge adds another element to his game
- Good play recognition helps him get a step or two towards the ball
- Has a knack for breaking up catches as he gets a hand on the pass
DB Marco Beltran
Stand-out skills:
- Reacts to plays developing real time, constantly moving to make a stop
- Terrific at tackling on the run, making big hits on the ball carriers
- Speedy in the secondary, tracking down balls and flying over to tackle receivers
- Consistently able to be in the right position to make an impact
DB Joshua Mensah
Stand-out skills:
- Able to run receivers off their routes along the sideline
- Times snaps well on blitzes to fly past the offensive line and get the quarterback
- Constantly has his hands active to bat down passes or get a deflection in coverage
- Has no issue keeping pace with WR, allowing him to be in position to make a play on the ball
Team Writer Thoughts:
The Lobos under Jason Eck have concentrated on developing a versatile team of high school players capable of contributing both offensively and defensively. He has built a strong presence at a New Mexico high school by forming connections with prominent local football coaches, similar to what former Lobo Head Coach Rocky Long did years ago. On offense, UNM signed talented players like Houston running back Gabriel Wilson and Missouri City receiver Devard Darling Jr., both of whom come from top high school leagues. They also signed Brody Litton, a 6-foot-5 offensive tackle, and Max Leeper, a tall, athletic tight end, to bolster the offensive line and add more blocking and receiving options.
The freshman crop includes 18 offensive players and 14 defenders, aligning with the goal to improve the line while maintaining depth in the secondary and linebacker units. The local New Mexico athletes like Jacob Maldonado (Rio Rancho), Matheu Alderman (Eldorado), Hayes Baum (Cibola), and Justice French (Hobbs) help maintain a strong home-state presence and build lasting fan connections. Overall, the Lobos added athletic, versatile players who can contribute both offensively and defensively. They want size, speed, and toughness to strengthen the team’s future.
Quick Hits:
(High school players only)
Headliner(s):
Mike: Mingo, Mensah
Roger:
Prominent talent:
Mike: Mitchell, Patterson, Cramer-Cronin
Roger:
Favorite Recruit(s):
Mike: Cramer-Cronin, Moore
Roger:
Sleeper Recruit(s):
Mike: Dawkins, Moore
Roger:
Best unit(s):
Mike: Wide receiver, Defensive Back
Roger:
Transfer Players:
Here is the list of transfer players New Mexico signed. We are moving away from commenting on their film, as it’s often many years outdated by this point, and frankly, it’s become too time-consuming. Jack is doing a tremendous job commenting on transfer players in his transfer tracker. Instead, this section will comment on the class as a whole in terms of attempting to address needs and overall philosophy.
QB Luke Moga
RB Cameron Mathews
RB Keifer Seibley
WR Troy Omeire
WR Miles Williams
TE Joey Olsen
TE Bear Tenney
TE Tripp Walsh
OL Markus Fetcho
OL Ken Meir
OL Cole Millward
DL Ajahvea Robinson
DL Jalen Charles
DL Deven Dyer
DL AJ Robinson
DL Albert Tuakalau
EDGE Albert Tuakalau
LB Trenton Rocker
DB Kalique Cheeves
DB Ormanie Arnold
DB Joshua Barnes
DB KJ Battle
DB Will Hicks
DB Kevin Longstreet
DB Eric McClain
K Konner Olson
K Nicholas Romero
P Michael Kern
LS Lincoln Epstein
The Lobos invested heavily in new transfer players to continue to reshape the roster. This is nothing new for Jason Eck, who has shown a knack for uniting players into a cohesive, competitive roster season after season. New Mexico brought in needed competition at quarterback, restocked the specialist room, as well as the tight end and defensive line positions. Once again, they have scoured every level of college football for players, bringing in transfers from P4, G6, JUCO, and FCS schools to complete this roster. Expect many of these players to be contributors for the 2026 season and ideally, fill some gaps that were exposed last season.
Summary:
The Lobos built a sneaky good recruiting class, which seems to fit with Coach Eck’s style. No one recruit pops off the page, but it’s a top-100 class filled with undersized, but talented players and others who are under-the-radar and should play above their rankings. New Mexico had a lot of spots to fill, as over half their roster is made up of players in this post, but combined the high school talent with expereinced college players coming out of junior college and the transfer portal. This coaching staff has a growing resume on being able to get the team to gel quickly and earns the benefit of the doubt in being able to do so again in 2026.
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