Wendesday morning the fax machine
was hooked up and running hot in the Tow Diehm facility as Rocky Long and his
staff awaited their reward from the hard working recruiting effort they have put
in the past couple of years.
There had to be a few nerves as
there always is on this day as young men that may have committed at one time
have changed their mind or perhaps in certain cases another school has lured one
of UNM’s recruits away at the last second, and with some changes coming at the
Offensive Coordinator position as well as the recruiting coordinator position,
you just never know…
I spoke with Coach Long about
yesterday’s National Letter of Intent day and some of his players.
The following is a list of
players that have signed their names to the dotted line and will be future
Lobos:
Jacob Bane LB 6-1 230 Jr-Tr
Rogers, Texas (Trinity Valley CC)
Junior college transfer who enrolled
at UNM in January and is slated to play linebacker...has a redshirt year
available...TRINITY VALLEY CC...spent the past two seasons at the Athens, Texas,
school...played for head coach Mark Sartain...first team all-conference
linebacker last fall...TVCC was 9-3 Jacob's freshman season of 2005, winning the
conference title and also champs of the Pilgrim's Pride Bowl...HIGH SCHOOL...a
2005 graduate of Rogers HS...four-year letterman and a three-time all-state
linebacker for coach John Stillwell...the Eagles were District 25-AA champs all
four years, compiling a 50-6 record from 2001-04...Super Center defensive player
of the year as a junior when he had 195 total tackles in 15 games...biggest
sports thrill to date came when he blocked a field goal and returned it 93 yards
for a TD...lettered three years in baseball and was a first team all-state
catcher as a senior...also finished sixth in the state shot put...
Byron Bell OL 6-5 296 Fr-HS
Greenville, Texas (Greenville HS)
Associated Press first team all-state
offensive tackle last fall for coach Jeff Cordell...also second team all-state
by the Texas Sportswriters...unanimous choice for all-district in
10-4A...started two years for the Lions...also the starting center on the
basketball team and he throws the shot put
Tyler Boyett OL 6-5 285 Jr-Tr
Greenville, Miss. (Mississippi Delta CC)
Junior college offensive guard who will
attend UNM in the summer...last name is pronounced boy-ETT...has a redshirt year
available...JC teammate Brandon Johnson enrolled at UNM in January...MISSISSIPPI
DELTA CC...spent the past two seasons as the Trojans' starting offensive
guard...played for coach Jay Miller...HIGH SCHOOL...a 2005 graduate of
Washington HS in Greenville...played on the offensive line for head coach Todd
Lott...WHS finished 10-2 his sophomore season...a right-handed pitcher who hit
95 m.p.h. on the radar gun before injuring his shoulder as a
junior...
Trey Buckley TE 6-4 231 So-Tr
Long Beach, Calif. (El Camino College)
Junior college
tight end who enrolled at UNM in January...has three years of eligibility
remaining plus a redshirt season...EL CAMINO COLLEGE...spent one season at El
Camino in Torrance, Calif., and he was an all-conference tight end with 11
receptions for 192 yards and a TD in nine games played...helped the Warriors to
a 12-2 record and the school's first state title since 1971 with a 49-35 victory
over the City College of San Francisco...played for coach John
Featherstone...HIGH SCHOOL...a 2006 graduate of Lakewood (Calif.) HS...played
three years for head coach Mike Christensen...all-league tight end and the
team's offensive player of the year as a senior when he caught 21 passes for 251
yards and a TD...the Lancers were 11-2 and CIF semifinalist Trey's junior
season...received an academic achievement award as well.
DeAndre Davis TE 6-2 245 Jr-Tr
Meadville, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln JC)
Junior college tight end who will enroll
at UNM this summer...has a redshirt year available...COPIAH-LINCOLN CC...a
two-year starter at tight end...3 catches last year, two going for TDs....helped
the Wolfpack to a 9-3 record and a 21-0 victory over Georgia Military College in
the Golden Isles Bowl...played for coach Glenn Davis...HIGH SCHOOL...a 2005
graduate of Franklin County HS, a 3A school in Meadville...Davis was a four-year
starter at defensive end and he also started at tight end his junior and senior
year...all-division tight end as a senior...played for head coach Anthony
Hart...also a four-year lettermen in basketball, earning all-district honors as
a senior...
Bubba Forrest RB/S 6-1 205 Fr-HS
Carlsbad, N.M. (Carlsbad HS)
Second-generation signee at UNM...father,
Richard, was a defensive back at New Mexico from 1974-78...three second cousins
also wore the Cherry and Silver: Bobby lettered at running back in 1975-76; Mike
was a four-year letterman from 1976-79, a first team all-WAC linebacker as a
junior and still ranks 8th all-time at UNM with 362 tackles; and Kelly Wilson
played nose guard for the Lobos in 1981-82...grandfather Dick Forrest and his
twin brother, Bob, both lettered at Texas Western (UTEP) from 1955-57...Bubba
logged a school-record 268 tackles during his career with the Cavemen and also
set a single-season school mark with 141 stops as a sophomore......district
Defensive Player of the Year as a senior with 103 stops at defensive back...also
played wide receiver...will play in the state's North-South All-Star game...will
be a four-year letterman in baseball - first team all-district centerfielder as
a junior - and he also earned three letters in basketball...top 10% of his class
academically with a 4.4 GPA on a 4.0 scale...
Brad Gruner QB 6-2 225 Fr-HS Chandler,
Ariz. (Hamilton HS)
Quarterback who led Hamilton HS to the
Arizona Class 5A state title last fall...the Huskies were 13-1, the only loss
coming at powerful Massillon, Ohio in September in front of 21,000
fans...completed 63% of his passes for 2,585 yards, 27 TDs and just five
interceptions...missed nearly all of his junior year after suffering a torn ACL
on the fifth play of the season...played for coach Steve Belles...also played
baseball, earning all-district honors as a sophomore when Hamilton was state
runner-up... PERSONAL...born Aug. 18, 1988, in Scottsdale, Ariz...age is
18...full name is Bradley Dawson Gruner...son of Ed and Laura...older brother
Mark will be a senior linebacker at Mesa State (Colo.) in 2007...interested in
Construction Management as a major.
Sylvester Hatten OL 6-3 331
Jr-Tr Quincy, Fla. (Dodge City CC)
Junior college offensive lineman who
enrolled at UNM in January...expected to play guard for the Lobos...DODGE CITY
CC...second team All-America offensive lineman for the Conquistadors last
fall...played for coach Marcus Garstecki...HIGH SCHOOL...a 2004 graduate of East
Gadsden HS in Quincy, Fla., which is northwest of Tallahassee... three-time
all-conference performer on the offensive line, plus he lettered three years in
basketball for the Jaguars...played football for head coach Robert Jackson...had
17 tackles and blocked a punt for the game-winning TD in one prep
game...received the Bright Futures Scholarship...
Justin Hickman LB/DE 6-3 230
Fr-HS Chicago, Ill. (Hubbard HS)
Four-year varsity starter on
defense...all-state as a senior linebacker/defensive end when he had 140 tackles
and an interception for a TD...all-area recognition as a junior with 135 stops
and 3 interceptions...the Greyhounds advanced to the state 6A semifinals that
year...8A is the largest classification...played for coach Elton Harris...a 3.5
cumulative GPA and a member of the A-B Honor Roll every year...also a four-year
member of the school choir - he's a tenor - that has traveled to New York,
Boston and Spain, and will visit Paris and Germany this spring.
Brandon Johnson S 5-10 200 Jr-Tr
Greenville, Miss. (Mississippi Delta CC)
Junior college safety who enrolled at UNM
in January...JC teammate Tyler Boyett will attend UNM this summer...MISSISSIPPI
DELTA CC...spent the past two years at strong safety...had 95 tackles, 5 PBUs
and 2.5 sacks in two season with the Trojans...played for coach Jay Miller...a
redshirt in 2004....HIGH SCHOOL...a 2004 graduate of Greenville Weston HS...2nd
team all-state linebacker his senior year with 89 tackles and 2
interceptions...also played running back as a senior...145 tackles, 2 sacks, 3
PBUs and 1 forced fumble his junior season...played for coach Phil
Short...all-state in the shot put all four years for the Hornets, and he added
all-state honors in the long jump as a senior...a four-time all-state
power-lifter (combined total of bench press, squat and dead lift), including
state champ as a junior and a senior in the 198-lb. weight class...lettered two
years in basketball...member of the National Honor Society and he graduated in
the top-10% of his class, 27th out of 365 students...
Brett Kennedy DL 6-3 260
Fr-HS Albuquerque, N.M. (La Cueva HS)
A four-year starter and
three-time all-state performer for the Bears at defensive tackle...LaCueva
teammate Michael Muniz also inked with UNM...played for coach Fred
Romero...started the last five games of his freshman season (2003) at offensive
guard as the Bears won state at 13-0...moved to defensive tackle in 2004,
earning all-state laurels...La Cueva again went 13-0 and took the state
title...first team all-state DT in 2005-06 and he added second team all-state
honors as a senior offensive guard...participated in kickboxing and mixed
martial arts from age 12 until mid-2006...
Jaymar Latchison DE 6-3
240 Fr-HS New York, N.Y. (Long Beach (Calif.) Jordan HS)
Highly-touted defensive lineman and tight
end from Southern California...will probably play defense at UNM...selected to
the prestigious Long Beach Press Telegram Deam Team...67 total tackles,
including 5 sacks for 60 yards in losses and a fumble recovery as a
senior...receiving numbers were 36 catches for 629 yards and 6 TDs...best game
was 9 grabs for 159 yards against Millikan...had 3 TD receptions for the
Panthers against Cabrillo...team Most Valuable Player and team captain...also
first team all-league tight end...played for coach Scott Meyers...spent his
first three years of high school at Hauppauge (haw-pog) HS in Long Island,
N.Y...
Aaron Lenard CB 5-10 175
So-Tr Midland, Texas (Cisco JC)
Junior college cornerback who
enrolled at UNM in January...has three years of eligibility plus a redshirt year
remaining...last name is pronounced like "leonard"...CISCO JC...picked off 8
passes in the first four games last fall, returning two for TDs ...missed the
rest of the season after breaking his upper right arm (humerus) while doing the
bench press during weightlifting...played for coach John Parchman...HIGH
SCHOOL...a 2006 graduate of Midland (Texas) HS...played for coach Craig
Yenzer...first team all-district 3-5A cornerback as a senior...the Bulldogs were
22-6 and regional finalists in 2004 and '05...state qualifier in the 200 meters
and a regional qualifier in two sprint relays and the high jump...ranks in the
top 10% of his class, 54th out of 600 students...also a member of the National
Honor Society...
Tim Merrill TE 6-5 270 So-Tr Anaheim, Calif.
(Fullerton College)
Junior college tight end who will
attend UNM in the summer...has three years of eligibility remaining...did not
attend college his first year out of high school and he was a redshirt at
Fullerton in 2005...FULLERTON COLLEGE...11 catches and 2 TDs last year for the
Hornets...played for coach Gene Murphy...HIGH SCHOOL...a 2004 graduate of Buena
Park (Calif.) HS...two-year starter at tight end and defensive end for head
coach Frank Saiz...76 tackles and 10 sacks for the Coyotes his senior
season...also tossed the shot put and discus..
Carmen Messina LB/FB 6-2 210
Fr-HS Addison, Ill. (Addison Trail HS)
All-state linebacker and
running back last fall at this 7A school located about 45 minutes southwest of
Chicago...8A is the largest classification in the state of Illinois...Messina is
the Blazers' career rushing leader with more than 3,000 yards and 40 TDs...also
two-time team Most Valuable Player...Addison Trail was conference champs in 2004
and '06...played for head coach Paul Parpet...all-academic pick his sophomore
season...
Mike Muniz OL 6-3 260
Fr-HS Albuquerque (La Cueva HS)
Two-time all-state offensive
tackle for the hometown Bears...last name is pronounced moon-yeez...LaCueva
teammate Brett Kennedy also signed with UNM...played for coach Fred Romero...the
Bears produced undefeated state titles in 2003 and '04, going 13-0 each
year...Muniz also started at defensive tackle as a senior...finished second in
the state in the shot put his junior season...
C.J. Oakley RB 6-1 210 Fr-HS
Alamogordo, N.M. (Alamogordo HS)
Three-time all-state performer at
receiver and running back who gained more than 6,000 all-purpose yards and
scored 77 TDs in his prep career...spent his first three years at Onate
(own-YAH-tay) HS in Las Cruces, N.M...started at receiver as a freshman,
registering 23 catches for 533 yards and 7 TDs and earning all-district
honors...first team all-state for the Black Knights as a sophomore with 69
receptions for 1,253 yards and 18 total TDs...also played safety...moved to
tailback for his junior season and led the state with 2,494 all-purpose yards
and 29 TDs...gained 1,903 yards on the ground and 591 receiving...played his
senior season at Alamogordo where he totaled 1,498 yards rushing, 326 receiving
and scored 23 TDs...the Tigers lost to Las Cruces Mayfield in the state 5A title
game...will participate in the North-South all-star game this summer...played
for coach Bruce Dollar...also three-year letterman in basketball and
accomplished in track...the state long jump champ as a junior...best jump is
22-10...also finished second in the 100 meters...has a 3.4 cumulative
GPA...
Blair Peterson QB 6-4 210
Fr-HS San Antonio, Texas (Churchill HS)
True freshman quarterback who enrolled at
UNM in January...served a two-year Mormon mission on the outskirts of Buenos
Aires, Argentina...speaks fluent Spanish...HIGH SCHOOL...a 2004 graduate of San
Antonio Churchill...a three-year letterman for coach Carl Gustafson...honorable
mention all-district as a senior when he completed 116 of 215 passes for 1,425
yards and 11 TDs...also rushed for three scores...finished second in the MVP
voting in the 2004 Southwest Texas All-Star game...participated in the EA Sports
Elite 11 Quarterback Camp before his senior season, a showcase that featured
many of the nation's top prep quarterbacks...
Johnathan Rainey LB 6-2 210 Fr-HS
Houston, Texas (Northbrook HS)
Two-year starter at defensive end who
had 65 tackles, 8 sacks and 15 tackles for loss last year for coach Craig
Cripps...did not start playing football until his junior season because he
thought basketball may have been his future...third team all-district for the
Raiders in hoops as a sophomore and junior...also third in the district in the
high jump his junior year...
Michael Scarlett WR 6-2 170 Fr-HS Albuquerque, N.M.
(Sandia HS)
A quarterback, receiver and defensive back at Sandia,
Scarlett is projected to be a wide receiver for the Lobos...first team all-state
free safety and wide receiver as a senior...the Matadors went 10-2 last fall,
losing to eventual state champs Las Cruces Mayfield in the state
semifinals...played for coach Kevin Barker...set school records his junior year
with 35 catches for 881 yards and 10 TDs, earning first team all-metro
recognition...played for head coach Kevin Barker...
Josh Waller OL 6-5 275 So-Tr
Louisville, Ky. (Coffeyville CC)
Junior college offensive lineman who
enrolled at UNM in January...probably play tackle for the Lobos...signed with
the University of Louisville out of high school in 2004, but fell just short
academically...did not attend college the 2004-05 academic year...a redshirt at
Coffeyville CC in 2005...practiced but did not play last year so his last true
competition came in the fall of 2003 when he was a senior in high school...HIGH
SCHOOL...a 2004 graduate of Southern HS in Louisville...lettered three years for
head coach Bart Bruner...all-district defensive tackle as a junior and
all-district at offensive tackle his senior season...the region's weight and
strength champ as a senior...
Willie Watkins.....OL 6-3 298 Fr-HS
Dallas, Texas (Cedar Hill HS)
Starting offensive lineman for the
undefeated 5A state champion Longhorns in 2006...Cedar Hill finished 16-0,
including a 53-17 romp over Cypress Falls in the championship game in front of a
sellout crowd at the Alamodome in San Antonio...13 Longhorn seniors were
expected to sign with Div. I-A schools...Willie started at right tackle the
first four games, then tight end the final 12 games...Cedar Hill was primarily a
running team...played for coach Joey McGuire...a two-year letterman on the track
team....
Bryan Wightman OL 6-7 296
Fr-HS Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain HS)
First team all-region and
honorable mention all-state at offensive right tackle last fall...the Mountain
Lions were 7-4 and advanced to the 5A state playoffs in 2006...played for coach
Jim Jones...threw the shot for the track team, placing 16th at state as a
junior...a 3.8 cumulative GPA and a member of the school's Honor Roll every
year...
Mica Williams S 6-2 195
Fr-HS Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson HS)
Four-year letterman and
a three-year starter at this high school located between Orlando and St.
Petersburg...first name is pronounced MY-kuh...second team all-state free safety
in class 5A last fall, leading the team with four interceptions...also team
captain for coach Keith Demyer...played special teams on the varsity as a
freshman and started at outside linebacker as a sophomore, finishing second on
the team in tackles...played safety, quarterback, receiver and tight end his
junior season...also a member of the Braves' weightlifting team, taking the city
championship for his weight class in 2006...the team's highest GPA with a 4.167
on a 4.0 scale, including honors classes...
James Wright
RB 5-11 210 Fr-HS Dallas, Texas (South Oak Cliff HS)
Texas
District 14-4A Player of the Year after rushing for 1,479 yards and 11 TDs last
fall...gained 340 yards and scored three TDs for the Golden Bears against
Seagoville...a three-year letterman and two-year starter for head coach Chris Gilbert...member of the A-B Honor Roll...
We welcome each and everyone of
those young men to the University of New Mexico and look forward to many Lobo
Leaps in the years to come!
Also, Eye on Recruiting writer
Daniel Harper and I also spent a few minutes talking about this year’s
recruiting class
Click here to listen to
CatDaddy’s Podcast
And
as always, you can talk about recruiting and all of Lobo football on our message
boards
Click
here to read our boards!