West Mesa’s Elijah Brody highlights quiet National Signing Day for the Lobos

Elijah Brody sat at a table next to three of his West Mesa teammates and flipped through a few sheets of paper, signing and dating each one quietly.

It took maybe 30 seconds. Not even that.

When he was done, he shuffled them back in order and placed them back on the table.

Brody was finally a Lobo.

And at the end of a long, winding road to get to that point, he could breathe.

“Just a sigh of relief,” Brody smiled slightly and told reporters about the feeling after signing Wednesday afternoon at West Mesa High School. “Just extremely grateful and happy for the next step of the journey.”

Brody’s signing was the sweet, full circle highlight of an otherwise quiet National Signing Day for New Mexico on Wednesday, signifying the start of college football’s traditional signing period that ends April 1. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound West Mesa quarterback was one of just two additions on NSD for the Lobos, bringing their total number of prep signees to four since head coach Bronco Mendenhall was hired in early December.

New Mexico previously announced commitments from 20 transfers (11 FBS, six FCS and four JuCo) on the first day of the fall semester (Jan. 16) and two other prep recruits on early signing day (Dec. 21) to comprise an incoming class of 24 players.

One of the most prolific dual-threat quarterbacks in the metro area, Brody threw for 4,017 yards and 46 touchdowns with 2,537 rushing yards and another 40 touchdowns over four seasons split between Cleveland and West Mesa high schools. He initially received an offer from UNM in March 2023 toward the end of a sensational junior season that saw him earn Journal Male Prep Athlete of the Year honors after he starred for the Mustangs in football and basketball.

But in the wake of former head coach Danny Gonzales’ dismissal in November, that offer disappeared. Looking elsewhere, Brody announced his commitment to Division II Eastern New Mexico in January — only for the Lobos to renew their interest a few days later, per Brody’s father and West Mesa head coach, Landrick Brody.

Bronco Mendenhall, who replaced Gonzales as UNM’s coach, followed up by attending one of Brody’s basketball games and “that’s kind of where things took off,” Landrick said. Within a week, Elijah took an official visit to UNM and a few hours later, he announced his commitment on social media.

“It’s very special,” Elijah Brody said on Wednesday. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about and dreaming about since I was a kid. So, definitely very grateful to be here at this moment in life.”

Brody added he wasn’t recruited by UNM with a set position, only noting the plan is to utilize “my athleticism in any way they can.” He and and his father cited the culture Mendenhall is building as a major selling point.

“I got a clear idea of what he’s about and what Elijah is about to go through,” said Landrick, a UNM running back from 2000-04 (Mendenhall was the Lobos’ defensive coordinator for the first three of those years). “That’s probably the most proud part that I have of it. I know exactly who he’s gonna be with, and I know exactly the step that he’s gonna have to take to be able to be successful.”

The opportunity to follow in his father’s footsteps — “a blessing and an honor,” Brody said — didn’t hurt the recruiting process.

“It kind of sums a lot of things up, man,” Landrick said. “He’s been in love with this game since he was born — he was kind of born into it. Me being able to play at UNM and the career I’ve had after that, as far as playing and coaching.

“He was born into a lot of this stuff and to see all his dreams come to fruition, man, it’s a real blessing.”

Wide receiver D’Angelo Mayes was UNM’s other signee on NSD, announcing his commitment via social media on Monday. As a senior at Syracuse (Utah) High School, Mayes caught 85 passes for 1,086 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns last season.

Mayes chose UNM over Utah Tech, College of the Sequoias and a preferred walk-on spot from Utah. Listed at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, he brings considerable speed, running a 10.95-second 100-meter dash and a 22.06-second 200-meter dash in high school.