2026 Team Preview: Hobbs Eagles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OVERVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hobbs finally shattered the glass ceiling hanging over the program. Prior to last November, Hobbs last reached the semifinals of the state playoffs in the early 1980s. In 2025, Hobbs earned a top four seed, won their quarterfinals matchup at home and advanced to the semifinals against Cleveland. The fact the Storm trounced the Eagles in Rio Rancho doesn't diminish Hobbs' achievement, according to head coach Ken Stevens.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I feel like we did take that next step and got beyond the quarterfinals,” Stevens told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “When we got to the semifinals, we found out we still have a ways to go and that we still have to improve and get better. Our goal is to improve daily as players and improve yearly as a program. So far, our guys have been up for the challenge. They want to go farther and want to do more. We've had a great start to our offseason. Our players are hungry for next season.” &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OFFENSE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If they handed out an award for Breakthrough Player of the Year, Hobbs' 6-foot-1, 205-pound rising senior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1605057' first='Junior' last='Medrano']</strong> would have been a strong contender. He emerged as one of the elite dual threat QBs in the state, passing for 1,811 yards and 22 TD while rushing for nearly 1,500 yards and 16 TD. Overall, he accounted for 38 TD and joined the prestigious 1,000-1,000 club.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We have very high expectations for Junior,” Stevens said. “He does a lot of good things on the field. What makes him special for us is he's also our hardest worker. Anything you have one of your top players as your hardest worker and one of your best guys, that sets the tone for everybody else in the program. I can't say enough good things about Junior. He's added weight and putting on muscle. He's going to be a load next season.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hobbs coaching staff wants Medrano to improve as a passer, and Stevens said he's been working hard in that area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We want to see him develop a little more as a passer,” Stevens said. “That's his next step in his evolution as a quarterback. He needs to grow and continue to get better in that area.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Multiple candidates will battle for the backup QB job. Six-foot-1, 200-pound rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1684424' first='Conlin' last='McCool']</strong> was Hobbs' JV QB and the No. 2 QB behind Medrano in 2025. He'll compete with promising 6-foot-3 rising sophomore <strong>Bradan Dunlap</strong>, who's also a basketball and baseball standout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Conlin is very much a dual threat himself,” Steven said. “We have to get him on the field somewhere. He's a big strong kid. He's very smart, a valedictorian type of guys. He brings a lot to the table. Braden is a three-sport athlete. We need to find a place for him on the field as well. For the first time in a while, we have some depth at quarterback.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1604984' first='Shamus' last='Wright']</strong> began last season as Hobbs' expected go-to running back. But Wright suffered an injury and missed several games. Turning a negative into a positive, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2104442' first='Demarcus' last='Hill']</strong> emerged as a reliable RB and actually finished the season as the Eagles' most productive RB with 767 yards and 7 TD on 108 carries. Steven described Hill as a ‘one cut guy and get downhill,” while Wright is bigger and more elusive. Speedy rising senior <strong>Jesse Nelson</strong> (10.8 in 100) could possibly get some carries as well in addition to playing in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Between Medrano, Wright and Hill, Hobbs could potentially have an extremely prolific ground game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We really didn't know what we had in Demarcus heading into last year,” Steven said. “He was a big surprise for us. We didn't drop off very much when Shamus went down. They have different styles but the productivity was about the same. We're very good in the backfield. Not many question marks there. That's what we have to build around.” &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles' top four receivers last season were all seniors, so they must find capable replacements to step up. Rising seniors <strong>Jaden Taylor</strong> and <strong>Edgar Zubia</strong> appear to be the top candidates at the slot positions. On the outside, Hobbs hopes 6-foot-4, 200-pound rising senior TE/WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1679720' first='Bryan' last='Estrada']</strong> makes a full recovery from an ACL injury that cut short his 2025 season. Rising junior <strong>Adhyx Castro</strong> will compete for playing time on the outside. <strong>Bradan Dunlap</strong> should contribute here as well when he's not playing QB, along with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1684424' first='Conlin' last='McCool']</strong>. Rising sophomore <strong>Zaylen Sanders</strong> headlines a talented group of 2029 receivers for the Eagles. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We have a lot of work to do at receiver,” Stevens said. “As I said, we have to get Bradan and Conlin on the field. We have a really good incoming sophomore class.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Historically, Hobbs has had enormous offensive lines. But Stevens says that will likely change in 2026. The Eagles return just one starter from last season's unit. Rising senior <strong>Ricardo Alvarez</strong> is back at center, but everybody else should be new. Rising senior T <strong>Nathaniel Durham</strong> was a backup last season and gained valuable varsity experience. Rising junior OT <strong>Isaiah Sosa</strong> figures to earn a starting job as well. The competition will be intense at the guard spots. &nbsp;<strong>Aaron Mendoza</strong>, <strong>Aaron Partida</strong> and <strong>Cris Parada</strong> are involved in the battle there. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We finally ran the gamut, like most schools,” Stevens said. “Ricardo will be the anchor. At the other spots, we have a lot of guys involved in the competition to see who will be the starting five next season. Many of those guys played JV last season.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1605057' first='Junior' last='Medrano'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1604984' first='Shamus' last='Wright'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='2104442' first='Demarcus' last='Hill'] (RB), Ricardo Alvarez (OL).&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DEFENSE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Six-foot-3, 225-pound rising senior defensive end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1606138' first='Amryn' last='Wheeler']</strong> will anchor the Eagles' defensive line. Wheeler enjoyed a phenomenal junior campaign with 57 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 4 forced fumbles, 7 passes defended and a staggering 28 QB hurries. He'll be a problem for opposing offensive tackles all season long. Hobbs could mix and match at some of the other DL spots with several newcomers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most of the Eagles' top linebackers from last season return, starting with rising senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1679730' first='Gavin' last='McPherson']</strong> (118 tackles), promising rising junior <strong>Caleb Blackmon </strong>and rising senior <strong>Devin Ruiz</strong>, who returns from an injury. <strong>Davian Villegas </strong>will contribute there as well in Hobbs' 3-4 alignment after filling in late last season when injuries struck.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Like the defensive line, the secondary will have several new faces as well. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2104462' first='Robert' last='Garcia']</strong>, Hobbs' second leading returning tackler (96 tackles, 6.0 TFL), will likely move from cornerback to safety. Rising junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='853014' first='Michael' last='Jimenez']</strong> along with <strong>Zach Brackett</strong> will get an opportunity to show what they can do. Promising rising sophomore <strong>La'Vaughn Alvarado</strong> is another DB looking to make the jump from JV to varsity. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Players</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='1606138' first='Amryn' last='Wheeler'] (DE), [player_tooltip player_id='1679730' first='Gavin' last='McPherson'] (LB), Caleb Blackmon (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='2104462' first='Robert' last='Garcia'] (DB).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 HOBBS SCHEDULE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hobbs hasn't yet officially released its 2026 schedule but based on the already released schedules of other teams, we know the Eagles open the season at Roswell on Aug. 21 before hosting Artesia in Week 2 and traveling to El Paso (TX) Parkland in Week 3 to complete non-district play. Here is the full 2026 Hobbs schedule:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 21 at Roswell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 28 ARTESIA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 4 at El Paso (TX) Parkland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 11 LAS CRUCES*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 18 at Eldorado*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 25 ORGAN MOUNTAIN*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 9 VOLCANO VISTA*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 16 at Centennial*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 23 CLOVIS*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oct. 30 at Carlsbad*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>* District 6A-2 Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Junior season ended with 1811 passing yards with 22 passing touchdowns and 1475 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns with 122.9 rushing yards per game first time in a semi finals game since 1981 <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/TARIKEMBRACK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TARIKEMBRACK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coachmclaren3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coachmclaren3</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coach_kcurry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coach_kcurry</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/delanefitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@delanefitz</a> <a href="https://t.co/BdHlPirN4f">https://t.co/BdHlPirN4f</a></p>&mdash; herarrdo medrano jr (@jrmedranohera) <a href="https://twitter.com/jrmedranohera/status/1999658486507143178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">[player_tooltip player_id='1606138' first='Amryn' last='Wheeler'] junior Szn - by highlights - Hudl <a href="https://t.co/cDhXZtsLKQ">https://t.co/cDhXZtsLKQ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HobbsEaglesFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HobbsEaglesFB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachWhiteDB1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachWhiteDB1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/YUFBRecruiting?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YUFBRecruiting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GVSU_FBRecruits?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GVSU_FBRecruits</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Crim_Recruiting?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Crim_Recruiting</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1606138' first='Amryn' last='Wheeler'] (@AmrynW1532) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmrynW1532/status/2004693254911185316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I Love the weight room!!! 🫡🫡<a href="https://twitter.com/tony_mccoy3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tony_mccoy3</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneNM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepRedzoneNM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HobbsAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HobbsAthletics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HobbsEaglesFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HobbsEaglesFB</a> <a href="https://t.co/YySrBjmbhW">pic.twitter.com/YySrBjmbhW</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='1604984' first='Shamus' last='Wright'] Jr. (@BDshamus1) <a href="https://twitter.com/BDshamus1/status/2044489631589368098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/gvFSlumnUx">pic.twitter.com/gvFSlumnUx</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='2104442' first='Demarcus' last='Hill'] (@Demarcusho23) <a href="https://twitter.com/Demarcusho23/status/1998592260339020143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Very proud of these young men! <a href="https://twitter.com/BeatyBraddock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BeatyBraddock</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/nmmibroncos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmmibroncos</a> <br>Mike Meridyth to <a href="https://twitter.com/nmmibroncos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nmmibroncos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Justicefre93652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Justicefre93652</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/UNMLoboFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNMLoboFB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RecruitTheGoldStandard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RecruitTheGoldStandard</a> <a href="https://t.co/pYONUQWlM6">pic.twitter.com/pYONUQWlM6</a></p>&mdash; Hobbs Eagles Football (@HobbsEaglesFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HobbsEaglesFB/status/2019802869189255610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New turf for the indoor and on the field in Watson! <a href="https://twitter.com/Hobbs_Schools?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hobbs_Schools</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheGoldStandard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheGoldStandard</a> <a href="https://t.co/lzQnsFenGV">pic.twitter.com/lzQnsFenGV</a></p>&mdash; Hobbs Eagles Football (@HobbsEaglesFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HobbsEaglesFB/status/2022078856673493255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->