UNM football: Lobos announce 19 new transfers, with seven Power 4 additions

After a month of sporadic social media announcements, at last: It’s official.

New Mexico formally announced its mid-year transfer class on Tuesday, adding 19 players from the Power 4, FCS and JUCO ranks ahead of head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s first season at the helm.

UNM’s full mid-year class:

Eli Sanders (RB)

Previous school: Iowa State

Notes: Sanders finished 2023 as Iowa State’s second-leading rusher, running for 477 yards and four touchdowns with five receptions for 43 yards. The 6-foot, 200-pound back was rated as a three-star recruit coming out of Chandler (Arizona) High School.

Malik Aliane (OL)Previous school: New Mexico Military Institute

Notes: The 6-foot-2, 333-pound Aliane is coming off a freshman season at NMMI that saw the Rouen, France native appear in seven games. He held portal offers from Long Island University, Alcorn State, Bryant University and Morgan State.

Wallace Unamba (OL)

Previous school: Florida Atlantic

Notes: A Rowlett, Texas native, the 6-foot-6, 332-pound Unamba appeared in just one game for the Owls in 2023, but earned All-SWJCFC honors at Kilgore Community College (Texas) in 2022 and was a three-time JUCO All-American.

De’jon Benton (DT)

Previous school: USC

Notes: Benton spent the last five seasons at USC, recording nine solo tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2023. A Pittsburg, California native, he was rated as a three-star prospect coming out of high school.

Javen Jacobs (RB)

Previous school: Arizona State

Notes: A 5-10, 195-pound Chandler, Arizona native, Jacobs was primarily used as a returner in 2023, with two kick returns for 23 yards and two punt returns for 15 over 11 game appearances. He’s also accustomed to sharing a backfield with Lobos quarterback Devon Dampier, with the two powering Saguaro (Arizona) High School to an open division state championship in 2021.

Antoineo Harris Jr. (Edge)

Previous school: Indiana State

Notes: After starting his career at Iowa Central Community College, the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Harris transferred to Indiana State in 2022 and recorded 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks over the last two seasons.

Elvin Harris (OL)

Previous school: Campbell University

Notes: Listed at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, Harris appeared in one game for the Fighting Camels as a freshman in 2023, where he was coached by current UNM offensive line coach Famika Anae. He was rated as a three-star prep recruit after winning two state titles with Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory (Florida) and held offers from UCF, Akron, Alabama State and Bethune-Cookman before committing to Campbell.

Baraka Beckett (OL)

Previous school Campbell University

Notes: A former three-star prospect, Beckett played sparingly throughout his first four seasons with UCLA before transferring to Campbell in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound guard appeared in 11 games with the Fighting Camels last season.

Pierre Kemeni Jr. (CB)

Previous school: Garden City (Kansas) Community College

Notes: Kemeni is set to play at his fourth school after spending 2020-21 with Ohio University, taking a redshirt year in 2022 with Texas State and compiling 19 total tackles (13 solo) and one interception with Garden City CC last season. A Mississauga, Ontario native, the 6-foot-3, 205 pound defensive back was rated as a three-star recruit out of Clarkson North High School.

Shawn Miller (WR)

Previous school: Illinois

Notes: Miller, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound receiver, started his high school career at Saguaro (Arizona) High School before transferring to prep powerhouse IMG Academy (Florida) in April 2020, eventually winning a state title that fall. He did not record a statistic as a freshman with the Illini last season.

Isaiah Jones (WR)

Previous school: Syracuse

Notes: Jones began his last two campaigns with Syracuse as a starter before injuries derailed both seasons, hauling in 13 receptions for 226 yards and three touchdowns from 2021-22. The Cocoa, Fla., native joins the Lobos with one year of eligibility remaining.

Noah Avinger (CB)

Previous school: San Diego State

Notes: Avinger missed last season due to an injury, but carried himself well as a backup corner with the Aztecs, racking up 25 solo tackles and one interception in 2022. A former three-star prospect, he earned Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors following a 48-21 win over Towson in 2021.

James Bailey (OL)

Previous school: Texas A&M

Notes: Bailey, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound Katy, Texas native, did not see the field last season after redshirting as a freshman.

McKenzie Agnello (OL)

Previous school Texas A&M Commerce

Notes: Agnello, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound Copperas Cove, Texas native, appeared in three games with Texas A&M Commerce last season.

Bobby Arnold III (CB)Previous school: Dodge City (Kansas) Community College

Notes: Listed at 5-foot-10, 183 pounds, Arnold was recruited as a wide receiver out of college before being switched to defensive back at Dodge City CC. The Salem, N.J., product tallied 49 total tackles, three interceptions and seven kick returns for 231 yards on his way to earning All-Community College Conference honorable mention last season.

Richard Pearce (OL)

Previous school: East Carolina

Notes: Pearce appeared in 13 games, primarily on special teams, in 2022 before making three starts at left guard over 10 games with the Pirates in 2023. The 6-foot-2, 302-pound Hueytown, Alabama native received offers from Mississippi Valley State, Alabama A&M and Tennessee-Chattanooga before signing with the Lobos.

Moso ‘Nunie’ Tuitele (LB)

Previous school: California

Notes: Listed at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Tuitele did not appear in a game for the Golden Bears as a freshman tight end last season. The Aurora, Colo., native will play outside linebacker and is the nephew of Saga Tuitele, who served as the Lobos’ offensive line coach and run game coordinator from 2016-19.

Jawaun Singletary (OL)

Previous school: Grambling State

Notes: After starting his collegiate career at Navarro College, Singletary played in eight games with the Hornets as a sophomore in 2023. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Houston native was recruited by the likes of McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin State University out of high school.

Okiki Olorunfunmi (DE)

Previous school: Weber State

Notes: A Clovis, Calif., native, Olorunfunmi tallied three total tackles (one solo) with the Wildcats in 2023. He spent a season at Reedley Junior College (Calif.) before transferring to Weber State.