Growing Up Fast: Top 2024 Prospects in New Mexico (Part 1)
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As we saw during the abbreviated spring season, the amount of young promising football talent in New Mexico is impressive. At many schools, freshmen made significant contributions. Here are our Top 10 2024 prospects:
<strong>Stratton Shufelt, Cleveland</strong>: When we compiled this list, there was zero doubt as to who the top 2024 prospect would be. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Shufelt was a monster at outside linebacker for the Storm this spring, earning NMHSCA First-Team honors. New Mexico has already offered.
<strong>Zakye Hawkins, Las Cruces</strong>: Bulldawgs head coach Mark Lopez described Hawkins as ‘dynamic”, and for good reason. Las Cruces will have a new QB in the fall, but they return the entire offensive line and a talented RB in [player_tooltip player_id="134990" first="Elijah" last="Ogas"]. Add Hawkins, who’s also a promising baseball prospect, into the mix and the Bulldawgs could be prolific offensively.
<strong>Manny Fuentez, Dexter</strong>: As Dexter’s starting QB this spring, Fuentez threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns. He also played defense, making four tackles. Fuentez makes Dexter a threat in Class 3A in the fall.
<strong>Aiden Granado, Silver</strong>: Granado emerged as one of the most promising young offensive players in Class 4A, rushing for 84 yards and making nine receptions in three games. Silver loses QB [player_tooltip player_id="26201" first="Walker" last="Wenzel"] but Granado will help fill the playmaker void for the Fighting Colts.
<strong>Andres Aguirre, Albuquerque</strong>: The Bulldogs’ leading rusher, Aguirre rushed for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2 games this spring. He’ll carry the ball plenty in the fall.
<strong>Brody Whitaker, ABQ Academy</strong>: Whitaker finished third on the Chargers with 19 tackles in three games and earned NMHSCA Class 4A Second-Team All-State honors as a defensive lineman.
<strong>Peyton Greathouse, Dexter</strong>: How good of an all-around player is Greathouse? He rushed twice for 28 yards, caught 6 passes for 106 yards, returned kicks and made 14 tackles on defense. If that wasn’t enough, he was named Class 3A First-Team All-State as a kicker. Look for him to take his game in a variety of positions to the next level in the fall.
<strong>Ricky Bryant, Tularosa</strong>: Bryant has ‘Best Running Back in Class 2A’ in the fall written all over him after rushing for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns in four games for the Wildcats in the spring.
<strong>Dylan Joines, Miyamura</strong>: The Patriots struggled in the spring but Joines was a bright spot, earning Class 5A Second Team All-State honors at outside linebacker.
<strong>Jacob Baca, Hope Christian</strong>: As a freshman in the spring, Baca was one of the top offensive linemen in Class 3A, earning Second-Team All-State honors. He’s listed at 5-foot-11, 230 pounds. With three high school football seasons left, he has plenty of room – and time - to grow and develop into an elite offensive lineman.
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