New Mexico High School Football Recruiting Tracker: Commitments, New Offers Highlight Busy Summer

The recruiting trail across New Mexico continues to heat up as college coaches finalize evaluations before the 2026 high school football season. Several of the state’s top prospects have already announced Division I commitments, while others continue to add scholarship offers as their recruiting profiles rise. Here’s a look at where New Mexico’s top-ranked prospects currently stand entering the season. Colton McKibben LB | Carlsbad | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 1 | Position Rank: No. 1 | Class Rank: No. 1Committed: UCLA The state’s top-ranked prospect wasted little time making his college decision, committing to UCLA after one of the most impressive recruiting processes in recent New Mexico history. McKibben chose the Bruins over an impressive offer list that included Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Iowa State, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UTEP, Washington, and Wisconsin. The standout linebacker produced another dominant junior campaign, totaling 111 tackles, 49 solo stops, six tackles for loss, one interception, and one fumble recovery while serving as the centerpiece of Carlsbad’s defense. In just 23 varsity games, McKibben has already amassed 216 career tackles, establishing himself as one of New Mexico’s premier defensive players. Read More: No. 1 Ranked Player Colton McKibben Hershul Olloway Jr. RB | St. Pius X | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 2 | Position Rank: No. 1 | Class Rank: No. 2Committed: University of New Mexico The Lobos kept one of New Mexico’s biggest stars at home. Olloway committed to the University of New Mexico after receiving an offer from UTEP while drawing interest from several Division I and Division II programs. His production speaks for itself. The explosive running back rushed for 1,930 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior, finishing second in New Mexico in rushing while helping St. Pius X reach the Class 4A state championship game. He surpassed the 100-yard mark in 11 of 12 contests and averaged an astounding 12.2 yards per carry. For his career, Olloway has accumulated 3,859 rushing yards, 508 receiving yards, and 56 total touchdowns, cementing himself as one of the state’s most productive offensive players. Related: Olloway Jr. Enters 2026 Season Ranked No. 2 Aaron Torres EDGE | Fort Sumner/House | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 4 | Position Rank: No. 2 | Class Rank: No. 4Status: Open The University of New Mexico has officially entered the race for one of the state’s top two-way athletes. At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Torres has the size and versatility college programs covet. During Fort Sumner/House’s run to the state championship, he totaled 24 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and forced two turnovers while contributing offensively as a tight end. His recruitment appears poised to accelerate entering his senior season. Denton Walter LB | Las Cruces | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 5 | Position Rank: No. 2 | Class Rank: No. 4Status: Open One of the biggest recruiting developments this week came on July 21, when the University of New Mexico extended an offer to Walter. Few players anywhere in the Southwest were more productive last season. Walter led New Mexico with an astonishing 197 total tackles, adding 20 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles while helping Las Cruces make another deep Class 6A playoff run. His unforgettable performance against Volcano Vista — 20 tackles and five sacks — remains one of the top defensive performances of the 2025 season. Related: Denton Walter Ready to Shine Isaiah Carpenter QB | St. Pius X | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 6 | Position Rank: No. 1 | Class Rank: No. 5Committed: New Mexico State One of New Mexico’s most accomplished quarterbacks is headed to Las Cruces. Carpenter committed to New Mexico State after a stellar junior season that saw him throw for 2,467 yards and 28 touchdowns, while adding 178 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. Already surpassing 6,200 career passing yards and 65 touchdown passes, Carpenter has established himself as one of the state’s elite signal callers. His ability to attack vertically, combined with improved decision-making, has elevated his recruitment over the past year. Read More: No. 1 QB Isaiah Carpenter Breakdown Evan Nanez WR | Cleveland | Class of 2028State Rank: No. 7 | Position Rank: No. 1 | Class Rank: No. 1 Status: Open The University of New Mexico became the first Division I program to offer one of the nation’s emerging young receivers. He already holds Division I offers in basketball from New Mexico State University and Southern Utah University, further highlighting the type of athlete he is becoming. Nanez exploded onto the scene as a sophomore, catching 51 passes for 996 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns, while adding four rushing scores and finishing with more than 1,400 all-purpose yards. Already regarded as New Mexico’s top player in the Class of 2028, Nanez’s recruiting profile is expected to continue climbing. Read More: Evan Nanez Player Breakdown Jacari Smith EDGE | Cleveland | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 8 | Position Rank: No. 3 | Class Rank: No. 6Status: Open Jacari Smith continues to see his recruitment trend upward after another impressive offseason. Now measuring 6-foot, 215 pounds, Smith has developed into one of New Mexico’s premier edge defenders, combining added size and strength with an explosive first step. As a junior, he recorded 48 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, five pass breakups, four fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble while consistently disrupting opposing offenses for Rio Rancho HS. He has transferred to Cleveland HS for his senior season. Smith currently holds scholarship offers from Western New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands, and Fort Lewis, with the potential for additional Division I programs to enter the mix following his senior season. Related: Smith Breakdown Bryson Bloom RB | Alamogordo | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 9 | Position Rank: No. 2 | Class Rank: No. 7Status: Open Bryson Bloom has emerged as one of the state’s fastest-rising running backs after a breakout junior season at Alamogordo. The versatile playmaker rushed for 1,009 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 7.5 yards per carry, eclipsing the 100-yard mark four times and finishing with 1,091 total offensive yards. His production has already earned scholarship offers from the University of New Mexico, Coastal Carolina, Western New Mexico, and New Mexico Highlands, and another strong campaign could significantly expand his recruiting opportunities. Isaac Behrens EDGE | Cibola | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 10 | Position Rank: No. 4 | Class Rank: No. 8Committed: Southern Utah One of New Mexico’s top pass rushers is headed to the Big Sky Conference after committing to Southern Utah. Behrens recorded 60 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and two sacks during his junior season while helping anchor Cibola’s defensive front. His combination of size, athleticism, and versatility made him one of the first defensive linemen in the state to come off the board. Isaac Alderman OL | Eldorado | Class of 2027State Rank: No. 11 | Position Rank: No. 1 | Class Rank: No. 9Status: Open Isaac Alderman enters his senior season as New Mexico’s top-ranked offensive lineman and one of the state’s premier trench prospects. His combination of size, technique, and physicality has made him a priority target for college programs, already earning Division I interest from Akron along with an offer from Western Colorado. As recruiting continues to pick up across the region, Alderman remains one of New Mexico’s top uncommitted prospects in the Class of 2027. Marley Munoz QB | Carlsbad | Class of 2027Status: Open Munoz recently received his first collegiate offer from New Mexico Military Institute, giving another top New Mexico quarterback his first opportunity to continue playing at the next level. The Carlsbad signal caller accounted for 2,413 total yards, ranking among the state’s leaders while guiding the Cavemen through a difficult Class 6A schedule. Munoz completed 103 of 193 passes for 1,506 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 868 rushing yards and five scores. Related: Munoz Ready to Breakout Kingston Lee QB | Silver | Class of 2029 (#1)Status: Open One of the state’s fastest-rising underclassmen added his first scholarship offer this summer. The sophomore quarterback from Silver received an offer from Western New Mexico after an impressive offseason, becoming one of the first members of the Class of 2029 to pick up a college opportunity. Lee is currently the top ranked player for the 2029 Class. Related: More on Lee Recruiting Stock Continues to Rise With preseason camp just around the corner, expect recruiting activity across New Mexico to accelerate. Several of the state’s highest-ranked prospects remain uncommitted, while programs from across the country continue evaluating talent throughout the Land of Enchantment. As the 2026 season approaches, every Friday night performance will carry added recruiting significance. More Recruiting News: Follow the latest scholarship offers, commitments, and recruiting updates from across New Mexico High School Football on the NMPreps Recruiting Tracker Provide NMPreps with your offers and updates. Text publisher Joshua Griñe to (505) 414-4313 or email [email protected] NMPreps is once again breaking down the New Mexico High School Football Top 100 Players ahead of the 2026 season, highlighting the top talent across the state. Now in its 21st year, the NMPreps player rankings remain the one true source for evaluating the best high school football players in New Mexico. Rankings: Class of 2027 Rankings: Class of 2028 Rankings: Class of 2029 Rankings: Class of 2030