Portal notes: Memphis DE and RB commit to UNM; former Lobo moves on to Texas

Memphis transfers Jalen Charles and Cameron Mathews have committed to New Mexico, the two announced Monday via social media.

The former Tigers represent UNM’s first commitments out of the transfer portal since it opened Friday. Charles and Mathews play positions where UNM lost key players to graduation and the portal.

Charles, a 6-foot-3, 227-pound redshirt freshman defensive end, did not appear in a game last year with Memphis and has three years of eligibility remaining. He is expected to help fill an immediate need after UNM's starting edge rushers Keyshawn James-Newby and Brett Karhu exhausted their eligibility.

A former three-star recruit, Charles earned all-district honors and made 80 total tackles  as a senior at Manvel (Texas) High School. He committed to Memphis over offers from California, Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, Air Force, Army and Tulsa.

Mathews, a 5-8, 170-pound freshman running back, appeared in one game with the Tigers this season. The all-time leading rusher at Dobie (Texas) High School, he committed to Memphis over offers from Utah, UTSA, Lamar, Texas Southern and Grambling State.

Mathews is expected to help in the running back room after UNM lost Damon Bankston to graduation and D.J. McKinney to the portal. Mathews has four years of eligibility remaining.

Portal updates

One of the Lobos’ key specialists has already found a new home.

After entering the portal, long snapper Trey DuBuc committed to Texas on Sunday. He appeared in all 13 games as UNM’s starting long snapper this season after transferring in from South Florida.

DuBuc marks the third starting specialist to depart from the program after punter Daniel Hughes entered the portal and kicker Luke Drzewiecki exhausted his eligibility.

“Extremely thankful to be offered a scholarship at the University of Texas,” DuBuc posted Sunday via X. “I am extremely thankful for (head coach Steve Sarkisian) and (special teams coordinator Jeff Banks) for giving me this elite opportunity to play big time football every week.

“With that (being said) I have signed to the University of Texas!”

Another familiar face also entered the portal over the weekend: quarterback Isaiah Chavez. The 6-0, 208-pound redshirt senior left UNM midway through spring practice after he was approached about a position change, and did not play this season.

Chavez told the Journal in April he was waiting for the birth of his fiancée’s child in September before planning on entering the portal at the end of the year. He would have one year of eligibility remaining if he joined another program.

“Being away from my brothers and not being able to represent the state of New Mexico on my chest, it’s something that still hasn’t come to terms with me yet,” the Rio Rancho native added. “ … And unfortunately, it came at a period where I wasn’t done yet, and I still feel like I’m not done yet.”

New Mexico's 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year at Rio Rancho High School, Chavez became a fan favorite after leading the Lobos to back-to-back wins over Wyoming and Fresno State as a freshman walk-on in 2020. He passed for 112 yards and one touchdown in a 14-3 win over the Cowboys in 2021, but saw the field sparingly over his next three seasons with the Lobos.

Recruiting notes

Less than a month after recruiting its class of 2026, UNM has its first commit from the class of 2027.

Three-star safety Tayven Collins committed to the Lobos on Sunday. The 5-10, 165-pound junior made 63 total tackles, four interceptions and three sacks last season at Cascade Christian (Washington) High School, and held additional offers from BYU and Nevada.

“To all the brothers and family I’ve gained along the way, you mean everything to me,” Collins wrote in his commitment announcement on X. “Thank you to every coach and every brother who stood with me on this journey.”

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