Recruiting New Mexico: NMMI becomes a 'cool place' to be

New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in Roswell recruits internationally, and throughout the United States searching for the best players to wear the Broncos uniform.   However, NMMI coaches never forget they're located in the Land of Enchantment, which explains why the Broncos had 23 players from its home state on the 2022 roster.   So, signing New Mexico players isn't anything new for NMMI.   Nonetheless, this year feels. . .different.   A surge before and after National Signing Day (Feb. 1) has resulted in NMMI signing or securing commitments from 14 different in-state players. The list reads like a Who's Who of New Mexico High School football – Volcano Vista QB [player_tooltip player_id='269571' first='Elliot' last='Paskett-Bell'], Centennial RB [player_tooltip player_id='208691' first='Mikah' last='Gutierrez'], West Mesa WR [player_tooltip player_id='138047' first='Chris' last='Johnson'], Volcano Vista LB [player_tooltip player_id='269622' first='Nathan' last='Wallin'], Hatch Valley RB [player_tooltip player_id='138201' first='Layton' last='Gillis'] and more.   The latest to join the growing commitment list is speedy Roswell RB Christian Hernandez, who runs the 40 in 4.4 seconds.   Why the perceived increased interest in NMMI? Two key factors seem  critical: 1) The unprecedented publicity from NMMI's JUCO national championship in 2021 and 2) The ‘Diego Pavia Effect'.   “We've been getting a lot of New Mexico kids over the past four or five years but nobody has really recognized it around the state,” NMMI head coach Kurt Taufa'asau. “With our recent success, which came with the help of a lot of local guys, and our continued success last season, we looked to do the same thing this year and that's bring in in-state players with a chip on their shoulder, guys that feel they've been underrecruited or overlooked.”   Taufa'asau credited assistant coaches Robert Rodriguez and Josh Mitchell, who handle most of NMMI's recruiting in New Mexico, with the Broncos' success in bringing in-state players to Roswell. Through their effort, and success on the field, NMMI has clearly become a cool place to be for New Mexico prospects.   “Both of those coaches have done a great job this year recruiting in-state players,” Taufa'asau said. “We have more coming too. We've had a bunch of in-state kids reach out and ask if they can come down for a visit and try to be a part of our program in the fall.”   Pavia might represent what NMMI is all about better than anybody.   Lightly recruited, he joined NMMI in 2020 after leading Volcano Vista to the No. 1 seed in the 2019 Class 6A playoffs. By the time he left, NMMI had captured a national title. He signed with New Mexico State and led the Aggies to the school's second bowl win in the last 60 years in December. He is the first NM State player to ever receive a Heisman Trophy vote.   “Volcano Vista's guys have talked about the influence Diego Pavia had on them,” Taufa'asau said. “Diego's impact and influence on our team and the players within the state is huge. And considering the success he's having right now, that's a product of the work Diego put in throughout his time here when nobody else was looking.   “We're grateful for what Diego has done for us. It's leading to a bunch of guys here in New Mexico wanting to take the chance and come to our school.”           Former Volcano Vista LB Tyler Martinez led the Broncos in tackles as a freshman in 2022 with 83. He was named Second-team All-Conference and has been offered by FCS North Alabama.                          As popular as NMMI has seemingly become for some New Mexico players who aspire to excel at the next level, life at the school is not for everybody. Daily schedules are highly regimented with nearly every minute accounted for.     ‘'Each day for our guys is pretty well structured,” Taufa'asau said. “When recruits come here for a visit, we tell them that it's comparable to a Division I school in how every day is structured. The guys get up at 6:30 a.m., go to breakfast, have accountability formations (uniform inspections, room inspections, etc.), have class until lunch time, watch film, meet with the coaches, team meetings, practice until 5:45, eat dinner and then mandatory study hall.   “Our guys don't have a lot of free time. It teaches them self-discipline and time management skills. It will get them ready for a four-year school. We tell our players that if they can make it through here, they can make it through life and conquer anything.”              NMMI – 2023 NEW MEXICO SIGNEES (Alphabetical Order)   [player_tooltip player_id='138201' first='Layton' last='Gillis'], Hatch Valley   Izaiah Gonzales, Centennial   [player_tooltip player_id='208691' first='Mikah' last='Gutierrez'], Centennial   Thomas Herrera, Gadsden   [player_tooltip player_id='138047' first='Chris' last='Johnson'], West Mesa   Marcus Lorea, Hatch Valley   [player_tooltip player_id='223648' first='Fabian' last='Lozoya'], Organ Mountain   [player_tooltip player_id='269621' first='Damon' last='Mayberry'], Alamogordo   [player_tooltip player_id='269571' first='Elliot' last='Paskett-Bell'], Volcano Vista   [player_tooltip player_id='541116' first='Marcus' last='Perea'], Volcano Vista   [player_tooltip player_id='544255' first='Gabriel' last='Pino'], Volcano Vista   Justin Porter, Tularosa   [player_tooltip player_id='269622' first='Nathan' last='Wallin'], Volcano Vista   COMMITMENTS   Christian Hernandez, Roswell   VISITS   [player_tooltip player_id='270223' first='Ezekiel' last='Guzman'], Lovington       <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/christianhdz04/status/1624250701898719232 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/nmmibroncos/status/1610375790008598528 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CoachMitch55/status/1623710556023836672 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tvler_1/status/1592242939551678464 </div></figure>

New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in Roswell recruits internationally, and throughout the United States searching for the best players to wear the Broncos uniform.