2 more commit to Lobo football
On eve of signing day, recruits total 18
Assembling a college football signing class is all at once an art, a science and a dice throw.
The dice throw: trying to project a high school player’s future development, even with the trained eye of an experienced coach.
The art: saying the right thing at the right time to the player and, sometimes even more important, to the players’ parents.
The science: weaving a signing class into the fabric of the program, addressing needs created as each group of seniors departs.
Tuesday, the day before signing day, the New Mexico Lobos got two more commitments toward their 2017 signing class. They are:
Langston Murray, a mammoth (6-foot-2, 330 pounds) defensive lineman from Logansport (La.) High School.
Nico Bolden, a 6-4 205-pound safety/outside linebacker from Woodbury High School in St. Paul, Minn.
Those commitments, with that late Monday commitment of Marcus Hayes, a 6-foot, 185-pound defensive back from Rockford (Ill.) East High School, give UNM 18 commitments toward the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision annual maximum of 25.
But how does UNM’s class as revealed so far address the program’s needs?
The Lobos lost 22 players off their two-deep roster from last fall’s team that went 9-4 and defeated UTSA in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl: four offensive linemen, three tight ends, one wide receiver, one quarterback, one running back, three defensive linemen, one inside linebacker, two rush linebackers, two cornerbacks, three safeties and a deep snapper.
Entering signing day today, with more to come, they have signed or received non-binding commitments from: Four offensive linemen. One tight end. One wide receiver. Two quarterbacks. No running backs. Three defensive linemen. No inside linebackers. One rush linebacker.
Two cornerbacks. Three safeties. One deep snapper. These designations are, of course, subject to change. Bolden is included here with the safeties but could be a rush linebacker. Jordan Gallagher, a two-way lineman from Horlick High School in Racine, Wis., is included among the offensive linemen but could wind up on defense.
Former Cleveland star Marcus Williams, a 2016 signee who will enter the program this year for the first time as a grayshirt, is the one wide receiver but could become a tight end in the mold of former Lobo and former Storm star Reece White.
In gaining a commitment from Contra Costa College quarterback Cameron Burston, it appears coach Bob Davie and offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse are making a statement. Clearly, they like having a passing quarterback on the roster — even in a run-heavy, triple option-based offense — as they had the past two years in the person of Austin Apodaca.
Burston, listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, has rushed for more than 900 yards the past two seasons at Contra Costa. But as a junior college freshman, he threw for 2,151 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 63 percent of his passes.
In essence, UNM lost its entire starting secondary from last fall. Though seven defensive backs return, only one, senior cornerback Jadon Boatright, has seen significant playing time. Junior college corners Willie Hobdy and D’Angelo Ross and juco safety Michael Sewell Jr. lend depth and experience.
On the defensive line, the Lobos lost starters Nik D’Avanzo and William Udeh and Taylor Timmons, Udeh’s principal backup at nose guard. Murray and junior college transfers Jermane Conyers and Aaron Blackwell join eight returnees, four of whom — Garrett Hughes, Cody Baker, Kene Okonkwo and Johnny Williams — have seen game action.
Running back and wide receiver are not positions of need, though UNM still might sign a player or two at those spots today.
Last but not least, junior college transfer deep snapper Case Hampton will compete with walk-on Jared EnRico for the spot vacated by four-year snapper Steven Romero. SIGNING SHOW: UNM will air a signing-day live streaming, starting at 11 a.m. and available on golobos.com, Facebook Live and the Mountain West Network.