Recruiting: 2026 Cleveland DE decommits from UNM Lobos

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 Cleveland defensive end/outside linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1230420' first='Elijah' last='Richards'] verbally committed to New Mexico last summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Earlier today, he backed off that pledge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One day after 2026 Cleveland QB [player_tooltip player_id='851873' first='Jordan' last='Kekoa Hatch'] committed to New Mexico State, Richards announced on social media that he had decommitted from the Lobos.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Richards added he held “multiple D1 offers” prior to committing to UNM and was “open to all opportunities.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He did not say why he decided to back away from his commitment to the Lobos, only that the decision came after “much thought and consideration.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>National Signing Day is Wednesday, Feb. 4. For Division I programs, that date signals the beginning of the late signing period.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 Cleveland WR [player_tooltip player_id='851903' first='Jacob' last='Maldonado'] signed with New Mexico during the early signing period in December.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After much thought and consideration, I have decided to de-commit from the University of New Mexico.<br>Held multiple D1 offers prior to committing. Open to all opportunities, ready to make a positive impact on a program! <br>6'4 225 <br>DE/TE<a href="https://t.co/7MeYq8IsDE">https://t.co/7MeYq8IsDE</a> <a href="https://t.co/fIOuw7vQTH">pic.twitter.com/fIOuw7vQTH</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1230420' first='Elijah' last='Richards'] (@E_Richards22) <a href="https://twitter.com/E_Richards22/status/2016651937467244697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>   </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->