Another ex-Mizzou player comes to UNM
Punter to walk on, compete for job
Cjay Boone strikes again. The University of New Mexico wide receiver who transferred in from University of Missouri has helped lure another football player from Mizzou.
Enter punter Aaron Rodriguez. He last played for Missouri, just as Boone and UNM offensive lineman Jack Buford did.
Rodriguez, just like Boone and Buford, believes he has found a home with the Lobos.
Things didn’t work out for Rodriguez with the Tigers. He redshirted his freshman season in 2019 and played as the back-up punter in the coronavirus-delayed 2020 season. He is left with four seasons of eligibility because of the extra season the NCAA granted due to the pandemic.
When Rodriguez entered the transfer portal after the 2020 season, Boone reached out to him.
“Cjay told me, ‘Hey man, we have something good going on over here, so keep us in mind,’” said Rodriguez, who’s coming to UNM as a walk-on. “Cjay is a really cool dude. Jack is one of my good buddies, too. Me and Cjay used to sit next to each other in our team room. Me and Jack hung out a lot during our first year. Really good guys.”
Boone planted the seed for Rodriguez, who entered the transfer portal with confidence. Rodriguez is originally from Santa Clarita, California, where he was a two-time first-team AllFoothill League punter at Hart High School.
He had preferred walk-on offers from Alabama A&M and Missouri.
“He has a pretty good tape,” UNM coach Danny Gonzales said. “He’ll have a chance to come in and compete with Jared (Long, a punter from Del Norte High).”
Rodriguez, 20, believes he has an opportunity to earn the starting spot as the team’s punter with Tyson Dyer leaving after three seasons with the Lobos to pursue a pro career. Rodriguez actually reached out to Dyer after gaining advice to do so from his punting coach, Aaron Perez of the Punt Factory.
Perez worked with Dyer as well and encouraged Rodriguez and Dyer to connect.
After talking to Dyer about UNM and after speaking virtually to Lobo special teams coach Jamie Christian, Rodriguez was convinced he wanted to play for New Mexico.
Rodriguez said he has family in New Mexico and El Paso, but that he has never been to Albuquerque. He said he’s planning to move to the Duke City sometime this week.
Boone and Buford will be there to welcome him, leaving three former Tigers ready to contribute for the Lobos.