University of New Mexico wide receiver Cedric Patterson III has transferred to play football at Rice, he announced on Twitter over the weekend.
Patterson, who graduated with a degree in psychology in June, finished his redshirt sophomore season with eight catches for 103 yards and one touchdown.
The 5-11, 180-pound Patterson is known for his speed. He appeared in 20 games for the Lobos, catching 15 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns. He is originally from Crosby, Texas.
Patterson is the second UNM player to transfer out of the Lobos football program, which went 2-5 and finished the season with two straight wins.
Nico Bolden, a redshirt junior defensive back, announced via Twitter last week that he is entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Bolden, who was the “Lobo back” in UNM’s 3-3-5 defense, finished with 25 tackles and led the team with three forced fumbles.
He missed UNM’s opener against San Jose State because he was either quarantining or in isolation after either a positive test or having been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
UNM coach Danny Gonzales has yet to say which seniors will return for the 2021 season since 2020 does not count against their eligibility. Defensive end Joey Noble is expected back, Gonzales said.
Noble led the Lobos with four sacks and five tackles for loss among 40 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Keyonta Lanier, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound wide receiver from powerhouse Long Beach Poly in California, said he will move to Albuquerque after graduating and will be a blueshirt recruit.
The blueshirt rule allows programs to put athletes on scholarship once they arrive on campus but count them against the next year’s scholarship total, as long as they don’t play.
Lanier, who had offers from Arizona State and UNLV, committed to the Lobos in May.
Lanier, who said he was timed 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, went for 433 yards and seven touchdowns on 27 catches during his junior year. He also played on the varsity for the Jackrabbits as a sophomore when he dabbled at quarterback before turning all his attention to being a wide receiver.
