UNM football: Lobos land DL transfer, Texas All-State kicker

New Mexico just got a little bigger up front.

Jones (Mississippi) College defensive lineman Jalen McIver committed to UNM via a post on social media Monday, representing the 10th transfer the Lobos have signed since spring practice ended in April.

At 6-foot-4, 300-pounds, the Tuscaloosa, Alabama native provides size and helps address depth issues at a position of need for UNM. Head coach Jason Eck frequently emphasized the importance of getting deeper on the defensive line this spring, and how the Lobos needed at least two more players to get to an ideal spot depth-wise.

“We need to add some guys who are gonna play a lot in the interior defensive line,” Eck said in late March.

As a freshman last season at Jones, McIver made five total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in eight games for the junior college. After entering the portal, he held other offers from the likes of Colorado State, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State and Troy before choosing UNM.

McIver previously played at Hillcrest (Alabama) High School, where he helped the Patriots to a 12-1 record as a senior.

PREP COMMITMENT: Randle (Texas) High School kicker Christian Munguia committed to UNM via a post on social media Monday.

The 5-11, 185-pound senior was named a 5A All-State kicker by the Texas Sportswriters Association after converting 12 of 16 attempted field goals with a long of 52 yards, and 102 of 104 (98.07%) points after touchdown attempts last season. He was part of Randle’s first state championship team in 2024.

Munguia represents an addition at another position of need after UNM carried just one kicker — three-year starter Luke Drzewiecki — this spring.

The Lobos also added Montana transfer kicker Grant Glasgow in April; Eck made it clear this spring that UNM would try to build depth among the specialists via the portal and prep ranks.