Position Breakdown: Top 10 Linebackers in 2022 Rankings
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Up to this point, all of our position breakdowns for the 2022 and 2023 rankings have been on the offensive side of the ball. But now it’s time to show the defense some love. After all, you’ve got to stop…
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Continue ReadingUp to this point, all of our position breakdowns for the 2022 and 2023 rankings have been on the offensive side of the ball. But now it’s time to show the defense some love. After all, you’ve got to stop people if you want to win. Here are the Top 10 2022 linebackers in New Mexico.
1. Abraham Lopez Abraham Lopez 5'11" | 195 lbs | LB Highland | 2022 State NM , Highland: Lopez toils in near obscurity at Highland, but he’s one of the top linebackers in the state. If you follow him on Twitter you know his work ethic is extraordinary. Earned Second-Team All-State honors. Definitely a major contender for Breakout Player of the year in New Mexico. Lopez is also an outstanding wrestler, earning District Wrestler of the Year Award. His wrestling skills definitely help him in football.
2. Dominic Vasquez Dominic Vasquez LB Cleveland | 2022 State NM , Cleveland: The Cleveland offense garnered most of the attention this spring, and deservedly so as CHS rang up video game numbers in some games. But the Storm defense could turn the tables in the fall. Between Vasquez and rising sophomore Stratton Shufelt, Cleveland might have the best linebacker duo in the state.
3. Maverick Gracio Maverick Gracio 6'4" | 205 lbs | LB Cibola | 2022 NM , Cibola: The Cibola defense is a lot like Cleveland’s. The Cougars offense is so prolific with QB Aden Chavez Aden Chavez 6'5" | 210 lbs | QB Cibola | 2023 State NM and others that the defense often gets overshadowed. But Gracio brings it every week. If the Cibola plays consistently well in the fall, the Cougars will shock people.
4. Hunter Haemker, La Cueva: Haemker is currently No. 4, but today’s offer from New Mexico shows he could be ready to move up in the rankings. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder made 38 tackles in 3 spring games, so he’s proven he has a nose for the football. UNM is certainly convinced.
5. Manny Bustillos Manny Bustillos 5'10" | 180 lbs | LB Clovis | 2022 State NM , Clovis: Few linebackers posted better numbers than Bustillos in the spring. He collected 55 tackles (6th most in the state) and 8 tackles for loss. Only one junior had more tackles than Bustillos. Clovis could potentially have a very strong defense with one of the top defensive lines in the state and Bustillos patrolling the second level.
6. Seth Chavez, Centennial: Chavez is an outstanding two-way player for the Hawks, and his skills will be needed in the fall when Centennial looks to keep the momentum from the success of recent past years going.
7. Josh Miller Josh Miller 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Hobbs | 2022 State NM , Hobbs: Miller had a team-high 52 tackles in four games this spring, an average of 13 tackles per game. That means Miller is making a lot of plays. Hobbs could have a great linebacker corps because lining up next to Miller will be. . .
8. Aldo Argott Aldo Argott 5'11" | 180 lbs | LB Hobbs | 2022 State NM , Hobbs: Who was No. 2 on the Eagles in tackles this spring? Argott. He had 48 tackles, 2 sacks and 6 TFL in 5 games. Could Miller and Argott combine for 200 tackles this coming season? Don’t bet against it.
9. Isaiah Carreon Isaiah Carreon 5'8" | LB Las Cruces | 2022 State NM , Las Cruces: Another team with an underrated defense is Las Cruces. Carreon had one of the defensive plays of the spring when he recovered a fumble late in the Bulldawgs’ hard-fought win over Centennial. Also an outstanding wrestler.
10. Joseph Perez Joseph Perez 6'0" | 195 lbs | LB Lovington | 2022 State NM , Lovington: Who had the most tackles of any junior in the spring? Perez. He had 57 tackles, 9 QB hurries and 4 sacks. The Wildcats might have the top WR corps in the state but Perez is proof they have some ballers on defense too.
NEXT BEST: Blake Hensley Blake Hensley 6'2" | LB Hobbs | 2022 State NM (Hobbs); Seth Johnson Seth Johnson 5'8" | LB Onate | 2022 State NM (Onate); Aaron Hewey Aaron Hewey 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Farmington | 2022 State NM (Farmington).
https://twitter.com/Abe58Lopez/status/1378923607078793217
Check out my highlights- https://t.co/mLy7L0jv1Y #hudl @HamiltonESPN @bangulo @CoachNealy @Coach_Ridenour @CoachRWheat @adamgorney @247Sports @Perroni247 @BYUfootball
— Dominic Vasquez (@KingDom32_) April 7, 2021
405✅💕 pic.twitter.com/BvfqrOkmIn
— Maverick Gracio (@MaverickGracio) February 22, 2021
Hunter Haemker Junior Highlights 3 game season
6’3”
215lbs.
3.50GPA
– https://t.co/Vp9KIzHPF0— Hunter Haemker (@hunter_haemker) April 7, 2021