The one switch portal window of the offseason closed on Jan. 16, and New Mexico State has formally introduced a lot of its 26 switch acquisitions.
The deadline doesn’t suggest the Aggies cannot signal transfers anymore, because it was solely the deadline for gamers to enter their names into the portal. It will be troublesome for NM State to signal extra because of the spring semester beginning on Jan. 21, however it could possibly occur.
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The 26 gamers embrace 14 on offense, 10 on protection and two on particular groups. Trey Hedden (Furman) provides to the quarterback competitors for 2026, operating again Terrell Washington Jr. (Iowa) seems to enhance the Aggies’ poor dashing assault from 2025 and kicker Ilya Uvaydov (Utah Tech) and punter Brody Richter (Minnesota) will attempt to be particular groups starters.
Let us take a look at some wins and losses for NM State within the switch portal:
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Wins
Aggies snag beginning offensive linemen
NM State made its offensive line a precedence.
5 offensive linemen have been introduced in to this point, probably the most notable of whom is guard James Williams. He began 12 video games for UTEP in 2025 and crossed enemy strains to hitch the rival Aggies. In line with Professional Soccer Focus, Williams did not permit a sack in 497 pass-blocking reps final season.
The opposite 4 — offensive deal with Armond Owens (Grambling State), inside offensive lineman Luke Moise (Wofford), guard Tyler Keinath (Boise State) and heart Mark Chapman (Columbia) — have all had Division I beginning expertise sooner or later. In 2025, Owens began 11 video games at proper deal with, Moise began all 12 video games at both left guard or heart and Chapman was an All-Ivy League honorable point out.
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Keinath did not begin a recreation in 2025, however began eight at proper guard for BSU in 2024.
Intriguing signings at talent positions
Operating again James Jones (Delaware State) could possibly be one in every of NM State’s most dynamic gamers in 2026 after tallying over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2025.
Delaware State’s James Jones leaps a deal with try by Delaware’s Jason Scott within the second quarter at Delaware Stadium, August 28, 2025.
Tight finish Josiah Thomas (Western Carolina) is one other FCS all-conference participant becoming a member of after incomes second-team All-Southern Convention honors final season. He tallied 228 receiving yards and three landing catches.
Vast receiver Lyndon Ravare (Kennesaw State) is one in every of NM State’s most skilled switch acquisitions on offense and is aware of Convention USA properly after tallying 230 yards and one landing on a CUSA-title-winning workforce. Devin Ellison (Washington State) did not play a lot in 2025 because of well being and probably underlying causes, however he was rated as a three-star participant within the portal by 247Sports.
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Reloading within the secondary
Security Tayden Barnes (Cincinnati) is one in every of NM State’s finest portal acquisitions. An All-CUSA freshman with the Aggies in 2024, he ought to change into a key piece within the secondary once more.
Cincinnati Bearcats security Tayden Barnes (10) tackles Bowling Inexperienced Falcons tight finish Jyrin Johnson (7) within the second quarter of the NCAA soccer recreation between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Bowling Inexperienced Falcons at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Sept. 6, 2025.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 16: Tayden Barnes #3 of the New Mexico State Aggies intercepts a go in the long run zone supposed for Jacob Bostick #11 of the Texas A&M Aggies within the fourth quarter at Kyle Discipline on November 16, 2024 in Faculty Station, Texas. (Picture by Tim Warner/Getty Photos)
Cornerback Izzy Clark-White (Monmouth) was an All-Coastal Athletic Affiliation honorable point out final season after tying for fourth amongst CAA gamers with 10 go breakups. Security RJ Chapman (Merrimack) posted an 88.2 PFF protection grade final season, one of many highest amongst FCS safeties.
Cornerback Javon Gillespie (East Texas A&M) began 10 video games final season and was credited with 10 passes defended. Possibly cornerback De’Marcus Peters (Texas A&M-Kingsville) can efficiently make the bounce from Division II to Division I, as he was a first-team All-Lone Star Convention choice in 2025.
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Losses
A number of high gamers depart
NM State is much from the one non-power convention workforce experiencing this, but it surely does not make the losses sting any much less.
All 4 of the Aggies’ All-CUSA gamers from 2025 — vast receiver Donovan Faupel, tight finish Gavin Harris, defensive lineman Ezra Christensen and security Naeten Mitchell — have left for Arkansas (Faupel), Georgia Tech (Harris) and Colorado (each Christensen and Mitchell). That is NM State’s main receiver, the 2025 first-team All-CUSA tight finish, the Aggies’ sack chief and tackling chief all out the door.
Inside offensive lineman BJ Tolo, a key piece on NM State’s offensive line who began at each heart and proper guard final season, is now at UNLV.
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Dropping 4 of their finest gamers and their most dependable offensive lineman is hard for the Aggies. Linebacker Tyler Martinez, a 2024 second-team All-CUSA decide, additionally left for Colorado.
No linebacker signings
Tyler Martinez and Quincy Davis have transferred to Colorado and Kansas, respectively. Tory Gethers stays within the portal, though he can come again as he nonetheless hasn’t discovered a brand new workforce but.
If Gethers departs, Sone Aupiu would be the solely returning NM State linebacker who earned vital enjoying time final season. Maybe the Aggies consider in Las Cruces product Zaiden Davis or junior faculty recruit Faapaia Fualema to tackle a big function in 2026, so that they did not really feel a necessity to focus on a linebacker within the portal.
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Nonetheless, it will’ve been good to see NM State signal no less than one from the portal.
Not a lot juice in DL signings
The Aggies solely tallied 19 sacks final season, tied for the second-worst mark in CUSA.
The 26 acquisitions embrace 4 defensive linemen, however none look like they’re going to clear up the sack points at first look. Defensive lineman Kaian Roberts-Day and defensive finish Vic Shaw, each of UTSA, did not make a sack final season. Jeremiah Sandiford (Tennessee Tech) earned an 83.8 PFF run-defense grade final season, however he did not make a sack both.
The one one of many 4 who tallied no less than one sack final season was Jordan-Lebron Downey (Livingstone Faculty). Nevertheless, his 2.5-sack complete got here on the D-II stage.
This text initially appeared on Las Cruces Solar-Information: New Mexico State’s wins and losses within the 2026 switch portal
