NSD Aftermath: Analyzing ENMU's New Mexico signees (Part 2)

<p><strong>Part 2 of a series analyzing the New Mexico prospects signed by the Eastern New Mexico football program</strong></p>   <p>When it comes to recruiting deserving New Mexico prospects, Eastern New Mexico and head coach Kelley Lee have been on an impressive roll since the beginning of January.</p>   <p>Wednesday, the Greyhounds signed 25 high school prospects and 1 JUCO prospect from the Land of Enchantment, arguably the best single day tally in recent memory. The group includes two wide receivers, three athletes and four offensive linemen. Here is a look at each of those positions:</p>   <p><strong>Wide Receivers</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591958' first='Zane' last='Mayberry'], Portales</strong>: Mayberry was one of the central figures in Portales' prolific offense in 2023 as he finished with over 1,000 receiving yards and 10 TD. Local product. In fact, the Rams play their home games at the ENMU stadium.  </p>   <p>“We've seen him play many times,” Lee said. “He can fly. He's fast and has great hands. He made a lot of big plays. He's dangerous in the return game. When we throw the ball, we mean it, so we want guys who can go deep. Zane can go deep.”    </p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='274718' first='Cruz' last='Markham'], La Cueva</strong>: Few players this past season possessed a better combination of size and speed than Markham. He's 6-foot-4, 200 pounds yet runs like a deer. He's the reigning state champion in the 400 meters.</p>   <p>“Cruz will play wide receiver and tight end,” Lee said. “We see him playing our flex position, where we bring our wide receivers in tight. A lot of times, that's when our wide receivers catch the deep ball. He's fast. He can be a deep threat. He's also a very physical blocker. He was one of the best players in New Mexico this year. He can be a big play guy for us.”    </p>   <p><strong>Athletes</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='274705' first='Marquise' last='Renfro'], Atrisco Heritage</strong>: Renfro was one of the top wide receivers in the Albuquerque Metro region and played varsity football for three years. He's also an outstanding hoops player.</p>   <p>“Marquise really caught our eye at the (NMHSCA) All Star Game,” Lee said. “He can play DB or wide receiver. He's a deep threat. He did a lot of things for Atrisco Heritage. He did everything but drive the bus. We have to find a place to get him on the field.”       </p>   <p><strong>Michael Cardonita, Melrose</strong>: ENMU isn't shy about dipping into the 8-man football ranks and signing players. One of their favorite spots is nearby Melrose. Cardonita is another player who combines great size and speed.</p>   <p>“Michael is very athletic,” Lee said. “Great kid. He has a lot of upside. I think we got a steal right in our backyard.””</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='591998' first='Julian' last='Richard'], Silver</strong>: Richard is a three-sport standout for the Colts, and ENMU will try to take advantage of his elite size and athleticism. Considering Richard lives just down the street from Western New Mexico, count this as a major recruiting win for the Greyhounds.  </p>   <p>“Julian is a great wide receiver, which is where he'll likely end up playing for us”, Lee said. “He could play DB too. But I see Julian as a guy who needs the ball in his hands. He can make plays. He did everything for Silver. He was one of the best players in New Mexico.”</p>   <p><strong>Offensive Line</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1103208' first='Aiden' last='Brown'], Clovis</strong>: The Wildcats run the exact same offense as ENMU since Wildcats head coach Andrew McCraw is former Greyhounds assistant under Lee. So, Brown already brings an extensive knowledge of the offense to Portales.</p>   <p>“He played in our system at Clovis, so he knows how to pull on the belly, the veer, the scoop and the other things we do,” Lee said. “He's big and physical but very nimble. He has a great personality.”   </p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='815946' first='Ricky' last='Armendariz'], Artesia</strong>: The one thing that sticks out about Armendariz is his size. He's listed at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds. He also brings a winning resume to ENMU as Artesia won back-to-back 5A state titles in 2022 and 2023.</p>   <p>“Ricky is a big guy but he can run,” Lee said. “He has very nimble feet. He's an athletic offensive linemen that can move. He's going to challenge for playing time as a young player. He has played in a lot of big games.”</p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='275427' first='Jeremiah' last='Johnson'], Clovis</strong>: Johnson is another good-sized OL with plenty of experience running the flexbone offense.</p>   <p>“Jeremaih is incredibly strong,” Lee said. “He can deadlift 600 pounds. He throws the shotput in track. He's developing into a great player. And he already knows our system. It's a great fit.”   </p>   <p><strong>Nathan Gutierrez, Organ Mountain</strong>: Because Organ Mountain went winless this past season, many folks probably overlooked Gutierrez. But he impressed during the practices for the NMHSCA All-Star Game and ENMU quickly offered.</p>   <p>“Nathan really caught our eye at the All-Star Game,” Lee said. “We knew a little bit about him but we got to watch him at those All Star practices and then saw him play. He can move. He can play in our system. He fits the mold of a lot of New Mexico guys that have been very productive for us.”</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ENMUFootball/status/1755467814234923235?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755473272848929254?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755431398586847375?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755428311767863370?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755380947145416869?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755302753054699549?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755297179822862564?s=20 </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/Marquiserenfro4/status/1749978725524132150?s=20 </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/ENMUFootball/status/1755429198422831361?s=20 </div></figure>

Part 2 of a series analyzing the New Mexico prospects signed by the Eastern New Mexico football program