Two wide receivers commit to UNM football
Lanier, Murray make it 10 verbals for 2021
The University of New Mexico football team continues to thrive when recruiting for its 2021 class during the coronavirus pandemic. The Lobos picked up their ninth and 10th commitments in a pair of wide receivers.
Keyonta Lanier, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound receiver from powerhouse Long Beach Poly in California, appears to have made the biggest splash yet, announcing his commitment via Twitter on Monday.
Michael Murray, a 6-3, 200-pound receiver from Lampasas High School in Texas, also committed to the Lobos with a tweet on Friday.
Lanier, who had offers from Arizona State and UNLV, hasn’t visited UNM, but his familiarity with Lobo head coach Danny Gonzales and director of player personnel Tim Roschmann played a significant role in his decision, Lanier said.
Gonzales last worked at ASU as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach before becoming UNM’s head coach, and Roschmann was a recruiting assistant with the Sun Devils.
“When they went to New Mexico, they kept on recruiting me,” Lanier said in a phone interview. “They showed me more love.”
Lanier, who said he most recently was timed 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, went for 433 yards and seven touchdowns on 27 catches during his junior year. He also played on the varsity for the Jackrabbits as a sophomore when he dabbled at quarterback before turning all his attention to being a wide receiver.
He said he plans to visit UNM when coronavirus restrictions are lifted. He said he will take a virtual tour of UNM on Wednesday.
Murray also hasn’t visited UNM. He
and Lanier said they made a connection with Lobo receivers coach Brandon Blackmon.
Murray finished with 995 yards and 16 touchdowns on 57 catches last season. He had an offer from Sam Houston State.
“Coach Blackmon was a joy to speak with,” Murray said in a text. “He wore his faith on his sleeve. He spoke highly about their program.”
Verbal commitments are not binding and coaches cannot comment on the particular recruits.
Gonzales recently talked about his staff’s ability to recruit during New Mexico’s stayat-home order, which is similar to that in the areas the coaches have been recruiting.
“The coaches have done a great job building relationships, telling families about what our future is all about,” Gonzales said. “The reality is we’re recruiting face unseen. The fact that our coaches are able to sell what we’re going to do is based on what we’ve done in the past and that helps a lot, that we have been successful at our other stops.”
The commitments of Lanier and Murray make it three wide receivers in the Lobos’ 2021 recruiting class. Luke Wysong, a 5-10, 170-pound receiver from Cleveland High, was the first to commit to the Lobos.
Murray represents the Lobos’ sixth 2021 recruit from Texas, to go with Ronald Wilson (5-10, 180 pounds), a safety from from North Crawley High in Fort Worth; Jacob Trussell (6-6, 215), a tight end from Georgetown High; and offensive lineman Isaiah Sillemon (6-3, 285) from Lancaster High. Joshua Atkins (6-4, 280) and Dayton Robinson (6-5, 280) are offensive linemen from the same high school, Mansfield Timberview, in Arlington.
Offensive linemen Larry Luna (6-5, 260) of Goddard and junior college transfer Sebastian Sims (6-3, 275) from Butte College in Oroville, California are also among the commits.