Monthly Recruiting Report: Top 2024 Prospects Get First Offers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>February is typically a transition month on the annual recruiting calendar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Many seniors (2023) have already signed their letters of intent, with a few still deciding where they want to go, while juniors (2024) are beginning to collect offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of our Top 10 prospects in the 2024 class received their first offers within the past few days. Albuquerque Academy LB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275045' first='Brody' last='Whitaker']</strong> (#3) was offered by New Mexico Highlands and Ottawa University Arizona while La Cueva DB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='274980' first='Jackson' last='Cherry'] </strong>(#8)picked up his first offer from Grinnell College in Iowa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I've been talking with NMHU since December when I met the head coach, Coach Hudson, at a fundraiser gala,” Whitaker told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “We exchanged information and have been in contact periodically since then.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whitaker spoke with NMHU defensive line coach <a href="https://nmhuathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/socrates-vergara/841">Socrates Vergara</a> at Sunday's weather-shortened College Football Prospect ID Showcase in Albuquerque.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shortly after the camp, Vergara delivered the good news to Whitaker. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I had a wonderful conversation with Coach Vergara,” Whitaker said. “He told me to follow him on Twitter and send him all of my information, and that he really liked what he heard from my coaches and what he saw at the camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“That is when he extended the official offer to me. My coaches were present when coach Vergara offered, which made the moment that much more special to me.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whitaker said other schools have expressed interest, including Carleton College in Minnesota, Willamette University in Oregon, and Wesleyan University in Connecticut.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cherry said the offer from Grinnell came after a few weeks of talking with the coaches there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I'm super pumped about it,” Cherry told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “It's my first offer, so as you would imagine that makes it all the more satisfying. I had been talking to the coaches there for a couple weeks and calling them occasionally. Getting the offer was awesome.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cherry added other Division 2 and 3 schools have expressed interest. Some Ivy League schools have extended invitations to their summer camp or Junior Day. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 Cleveland LB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='274701' first='Stratton' last='Shufelt']</strong>, our #1 prospect in the class, added to his long list of offers with one from FCS Northern Arizona. New Mexico and New Mexico State offered before his junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SIGNINGS</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='371234' first='Andrew' last='Anguiano'], Artesia – Wayland Baptist University</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544028' first='Josiyah' last='Archuleta'], Farmington – Fort Lewis College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='138072' first='Michael' last='Ash'], Bernalillo – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Donny Beck, Farmington – Fort Lewis College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cody Billie, Farmington- Fort Lewis College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jaiden Dayzie, Bernalillo – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='137932' first='Payton' last='Deans'], Artesia – Ottawa University Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='270051' first='Rylee' last='Jarratt'], Artesia – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='542877' first='Marcus' last='Leyba'], St. Michael's – Ottawa University Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jahvon Maes-McChriston, Bernalillo – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='137884' first='A.J.' last='Rivera'], Albuquerque Academy – Case Western Reserve</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='546526' first='Latrell' last='Treadwell'], Volcano Vista – Missouri University of Science and Technology</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COMMITMENTS</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Matt Burke, Eldorado – Benedictine College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='137885' first='Paul' last='Cieremans'], Los Lunas – New Mexico State (PWO)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544002' first='Ciyllis' last='Cole-Ray'], Miyamura – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='138056' first='Cole' last='Conway'], Albuquerque Academy – Trinity University</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='137928' first='Kellan' last='Gehres'], Albuquerque Academy – Rhodes College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='541113' first='Chase' last='Gibbs'], Kirtland Central – Concordia University Nebraska</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='270223' first='Ezekiel' last='Guzman'], Lovington - NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Christian Hernandez, Roswell – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='542756' first='Marco' last='Loera'], Hatch Valley - NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='223648' first='Fabian' last='Lozoya'], Organ Mountain - NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='269621' first='Damon' last='Mayberry'], Alamogordo – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elliott Pasket-Bell, Volcano Vista – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='541116' first='Marcus' last='Perea'], Volcano Vista - NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544255' first='Gabriel' last='Pino'], Volcano Vista – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaden Quinones, Mayfield – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gabriel Rios, Atrisco Heritage – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='138090' first='Anthony' last='Rodriguez'], West Mesa - NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OFFERS</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544211' first='Jacob' last='Baca'], Hope Christian – Ottawa University Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='274980' first='Jackson' last='Cherry'], La Cueva – Grinnell College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='275206' first='Mason' last='Espinda-McChriston'], Bernalillo – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='590222' first='Melaki' last='Gutierrez'], Los Alamos – Ottawa University Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='380547' first='Spencer' last='Lyon'], Albuquerque Academy – Austin College, Calumet College of St. Joseph, University of Puget Sound</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='541067' first='Javas' last='Maria'], Rio Rancho – Ottawa University Kansas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robert Marquez, Atrisco Heritage – McPherson College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sebastian Mendoza, Roswell – Ottawa University Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='270015' first='Isaac' last='Molina'], La Cueva – Iowa Wesleyan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='269511' first='Chris' last='Montoya'], Rio Rancho – Ottawa University Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='542531' first='Mahki' last='Roman'], Alamogordo – Peru State</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='335471' first='Elijah' last='Romero'], Belen – Willamette University, University of La Verne</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='274701' first='Stratton' last='Shufelt'], Cleveland – Northern Arizona</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='138053' first='Cayden' last='Walton'], Raton – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='275045' first='Brody' last='Whitaker'], Albuquerque Academy – New Mexico Highlands, Ottawa University Arizona.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VISITS</strong>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544030' first='Robert' last='Ramirez'], West Mesa – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bowdy Evans, Miyamura – Western New Mexico</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='335471' first='Elijah' last='Romero'], Belen – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='380547' first='Spencer' last='Lyon'], Albuquerque Academy – Austin College</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='270223' first='Ezekiel' last='Guzman'], Lovington – NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robert Marquez, Atrisco Heritage – New Mexico Highlands</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='138088' first='Javyn' last='Morales'], Goddard - NMMI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/ArtesiaBulldogs/status/1627696231937118209","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ArtesiaBulldogs/status/1627696231937118209 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/paytonDeans12/status/1629132549263101952","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/paytonDeans12/status/1629132549263101952 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/MarcusLeyba2023/status/1626960164988538881","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MarcusLeyba2023/status/1626960164988538881 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1623072684618956800","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1623072684618956800 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1621233268078301185","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM/status/1621233268078301185 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->