Aggies (3-7) look to future

New Mexico State coaches have used the bye week to focus on recruiting

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State football coaches have been on the road recruiting during the Aggies’ final open week of the season.

The Aggies signed their best recruiting class under Doug Martin last year, but the Aggies lose a number of impact players next year, including five defensive starters.

“Safeties and linebackers are a priority for defense,” Martin said. “We will need a couple wide receivers and offensive linemen for depth. We will have quite a few visits in December.”

The Aggies will sign 25 players for the 2019 class, and receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Cory Martin said the Aggies could sign between 10-12 playersduring the early period December 19-21 with official visits planned for the three weeks prior to early signing.

San Antonio area offensive lineman Carson Pharris is currently the Aggies’ only 2019 verbal commitment.

“We have identified certain target needs at positions,” Cory Martin said.

Cory Martin said the Aggies hope to sign 14 defensive players (seven linebackers, five defensive backs, one defensive tackle and one defensive end), as well as five offensive linemen, a quarterback, three wide receivers and two running backs.

The Aggies’ 2019 recruiting class will consist of both high school and junior college players with a maximum of 10 junior college players.

Cory Martin hopes to sign a junior college right tackle and center, two junior college receivers, three junior college linebackers and two junior college defensive backs and potentially a defensive tackle.

The Aggies have offered scholarships to nearly 60 players, including Glendale Community College right tackle Tanner Hawthorne, who began his career at Purdue but transferred due to a coaching staff change.

But as you would expect in a program like New Mexico State, the Aggies have been hit or miss when bringing in junior college players.

“It’s competitive out there recruiting,” Doug Martin said. “We can’t recruit whoever we want and we don’t do cost of attendance. Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma have been great for us with the high school guys. But it’s the junior college defensive side of the ball where we are not hitting enough.”