Lobo football announces four signees, including a Cleveland wide receiver

The Lobos’ class of 2026 got a little bigger this week.

New Mexico announced four prep signees Monday, bringing its signing class up to 33 total players entering head coach Jason Eck’s second season.

“Big class, but happy with where we’re at,” he said in a news conference Monday. “We’ll have a few other guys that we’ll announce, non-scholarship guys, that we’re finishing up … Then we’ll focus our attention in January to the portal.”

Here’s a look at those players, likely the last handful of names added to UNM’s class of 2026:

WR Jacob Maldonado

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver caught 53 passes for 800 yards and nine touchdowns this season at Cleveland High School. Maldonado also rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

OL Matheu Alderman

Alderman, a 6-5, 270-pound offensive lineman at Eldorado High School, was offered by UNM as a preferred walk-on in mid-November.

OL Joshua Meisner

The 6-3, 270-pound senior at Salpointe Catholic (Arizona) High School was offered by UNM as a preferred walk-on in June. Before signing, Meisner announced his commitment to the Lobos in late October.

CB Kingston Spivey

Spivey, a 5-9, 160-pound senior at Hamilton (Arizona) High School, committed to UNM in October before signing this month. The three-star prospect had additional offers from Utah, Sacramento State and Jackson State.

Opting out?

UNM doesn’t have any opt-outs in the traditional sense, where a player might sit out a bowl game to not risk injury before making a push for the NFL.

But Eck said three players are leaving the team ahead of the Rate Bowl (Dec. 26): Reserve offensive linemen Trace Edmundson and Jordan Mora, and linebacker Randolph Kpai.

A former Nebraska transfer, Kpai announced his plans to enter the portal last week via social media.

The 6-2, 219-pound redshirt senior started 10 games at linebacker in 2024, but struggled to carve out a role on defense this season; he would likely need a waiver to play another year.

“He’s going to enter the transfer portal and wants to play some more,” Eck said in a news conference Sunday. “He did a nice job for us on special teams this year.”

Edmundson, a former Bucknell transfer, is leaving football entirely to focus on academics, per Eck. Mora, a former Cerritos (Calif.) College transfer, is leaving UNM to find more playing time elsewhere.

Neither appeared in a game for UNM this season.

Hopeful to return

Earlier this season, Eck said wide receiver Michael Buckley (six receptions, 76 yards) was on a trajectory to possibly return for UNM’s bowl game. Monday, he clarified that was still the hope for the 6-0, 179-pound redshirt junior.

“We’re still optimistic,” Eck said. “Again, he’s not fully cleared (to return), but I think he’s got certainly a solid chance to get back for it.”

Cornerback Abraham Williams is also not cleared, Eck said, but is making progress towards returning for the Rate Bowl; the 6-1, 186-pound senior missed UNM’s last five games with an undisclosed injury.

Eck added that offensive lineman Richard Pearce is still away from the team with a personal matter. “Hope to get him back for the bowl game,” he said, “but (Pearce) is not back yet.”

One more year?

Earlier this month, defensive end Brett Karhu posted on social media that he might be getting an additional year despite technically exhausting his eligibility. The 6-1, 226-pound senior played two seasons at Division II Oklahoma Baptist University, and could be eligible for another year through a waiver.

“For a guy like Karhu (to get an additional year) is really going to take legal intervention,” Eck said. “He had a year at a (Division II) school which, guys like (defensive end) Keyshawn James-Newby got a year this year because of playing two years at an NAIA school. So, (I’m) not sure how that’s gonna sort out, but he’s in that case.

“And we got a few guys who went to junior college (with similar cases) like (quarterback James Laubstein, safety David Murphy and cornerback Azariah Levells). Those guys are, right now, guys we’re not planning on having back. But I think if they were able to — through legal action — gain another year, we would welcome them back.”

Midyear enrollees

In addition to the Lobos’ junior college signees, Eck said five prep signees will enroll at UNM next semester: quarterback Cade Mitchell, linebacker Hayes Baum, tight end Max Leeper, defensive tackle Nick Barber and wide receiver D.J. Darling.