Lobos make a big splash in the transfer portal

When it comes to adding players, it hasn’t exactly been a quiet portal season for the Lobos — but it hasn’t been a flashy one either.

That changed in a big way Friday.

Oregon quarterback Luke Moga and UNLV wide receiver Troy Omeire have signed with New Mexico out of the transfer portal, the Journal learned Friday.

Both players were previously rated as four-star recruits by Rivals and ESPN, bringing UNM's total count of onetime four-stars in its portal class to four. The Lobos signed or received commitments out of the portal from 20 players heading into head coach Jason Eck’s second season with the program.

24/7 Sports was the first to report both signings. Moga has three years of eligibility remaining, while Omeire has one.

A 6-foot-2, 204-pound redshirt freshman, Moga appeared in three games last season, completing three of five passes for 58 yards in relief of starting quarterback Dante Moore. He also rushed for 49 yards, uncorking two 20-plus yard runs during routs of Montana State and Oregon State.

Moga did not see the field as a true freshman with the Ducks in 2024. Rivals’ fourth-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2024 signed with Oregon over additional offers from Arizona State, BYU, California, Miami, Cincinnati, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Purdue and TCU.

A Phoenix native, Moga completed 279 of 562 passes for 4,326 yards, 51 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, and ran for 1,528 yards and 20 touchdowns in three varsity seasons at Sunnyslope (Ariz.) High School. Moga was also an accomplished prep sprinter, running the 100-meter-dash in 10.50 seconds as a junior.

Moga is the first quarterback UNM has added via the portal this cycle and gives the Lobos five at the position entering spring practice. Jack Layne, Toa Faavae and Gabriel Motschenbacher are set to return while prep signee Cade Mitchell enrolled this month after finishing his senior year at Mountainside (Ore.) High School.

A 6-4, 215-pound sixth-year senior, Omeire is set to join the Lobos after catching 57 career passes for 805 yards and eight touchdowns at three different schools. He caught 31 passes for 514 yards and five touchdowns with UNLV last season — including four catches for 60 yards against UNM — before entering the portal earlier this month.

Before that, Omeire caught 25 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons at Arizona State, where he made two receptions in a double overtime loss to Texas in the 2024 College Football Playoff. His best season came in 2024, when he caught 20 passes for 223 yards in nine games with the Sun Devils.

Omeire began his college career at Texas in 2020, missing his first two seasons entirely with knee injuries. After recovering, he logged one catch in four games as a redshirt sophomore in 2022 before opting to enter the portal.

A Houston native, Omeire caught 149 passes for 2,432 yards and 31 touchdowns in three varsity seasons at Fort Bend Austin (Texas) High School. He was rated as the 32nd-best receiver in the class of 2020, choosing Texas over additional offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Upon joining the team, Omeire is expected to compete for a starting position with the Lobos after leading receiver Keagan Johnson’s eligibility expired last season; the former Kansas State receiver led UNM with 61 catches for 772 yards and three touchdowns in 2025. 

Omeire is only the second receiver the Lobos have added this portal cycle. Eastern Washington transfer receiver Miles Williams was the first, signing with UNM after making 41 catches for 524 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.