NMSU adds 14 on day one of early signing period
(Courtesy: NMSU Athletics)
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - The future is now.
Wednesday, NM State head football coach Jerry Kill welcomed the newest group of NM State football players to Las Cruces as a total of 14 student-athletes from around the nation signed their respective National Letters of Intent to join the Aggies for the 2022 season and beyond.
Each player who committed to NM State throughout the day Wednesday is detailed below.
Pierce Humpich | LB | Fr. | 6-3 | 210 | Louisville, Ky./Eastern HS | Signed at 5:55 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Displayed his versatility on a nightly basis throughout his prep career at Eastern High School…Named Preseason All-Metro in 2021 following a 2020 campaign in which he amassed 16 tackles on defense and completed 25-of-52 passes for 203 yards as a quarterback…Made the switch to running back in 2021 and impressed with a 416-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 52-42 win over Bethlehem High School in late August…That outing ranks 20th all-time on the state's all-time single-game rushing charts…A two-way player, also suited up at linebacker for Eastern High School through the 2021 campaign...Collected Class 6A District Five acclaim in 2021…Earned collegiate offers from Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State in addition to NM State…Brother, Scotty, plays college football at the FCS level for Murray State.
Jamoni Jones | RB | So. | 6-2 | 225 | Tulsa, Okla./Memorial HS/Northeastern Oklahoma A&M | Signed at 6:23 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
Fall 2021 (Freshman) | Took the lead role in the backfield during his final season at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M…Amassed 487 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns - both of which were team highs…Finished the year with four multi-touchdown games…Ran for a season-high 109 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Ellsworth Community College (Oct. 2)…Totaled at least one touchdown in each of the team's last seven games of the season.
Spring 2021 (Freshman) | Season postponed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic…Split time in the Norse's backfield in his first season of collegiate deployment…Played in six games and totaled 279 rushing yards as well as a touchdown…Posted a season-high 93 rushing yards in a narrow loss to Kilgore College (April 3)…Scored his first - and only - touchdown of the season as part of a 51-yard rushing performance in a loss at Navarro College (April 10).
Makhilyn Young | RB | Fr. | 5-10 | 185 | Midland, Texas/Midland Legacy HS | Signed at 6:23 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Few in the state of Texas compiled as impressive a resume as Young did through his prep career…Named District 2-6A Most Valuable Player as a senior in 2021…Claimed a spot on the 2-6A All-District First Team as a junior in 2020…Amassed a startling 2,125 rushing yards and 389 reception yards as a senior for Midland Legacy High School in 2021…Generated 39 touchdowns (36 rushing, three receiving) in his final season at the prep level in 2021…Accounted for a total of 70 touchdowns (63 on the ground and seven through the air) over the course of his star-studded pre-collegiate career…Helped Midland Legacy rack up 30 wins in three seasons during his tenure at the varsity level…Secured offers from Houston Baptist, Jackson State, SFA and Texas A&M-Commerce in addition to NM State.
Malachi McLean | S | Fr. | 5-11 | 175 | Manvel, Texas/Manvel HS | Signed at 6:37 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Amassed 78 tackles (51 solo) to go along with two interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble for a 9-2 Manvel squad which advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Texas Class 5A Division I playoffs in 2020…Rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN and a two-star recruit by rivals.com...Held collegiate offers from Colorado State, Houston and Utah State in addition to NM State.
Cooper Sheehan | OL | Fr. | 6-4 | 250 | Odessa, Texas/Permian HS | Signed at 6:37 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Collected All-District 2-6A First Team honors as a senior in 2021…Prepped by head coach Jeff Ellison at Permian High School…Helped lead PHS to an 8-4 record in 2021…Advanced to the second round of the 2021 playoffs with Permian High School…Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com...Held additional collegiate offers from Air Force and UT Permian Basin.
Ta'ir Brooks | WR | Jr. | 6-4 | 190 | Oakland, Calif./McClymonds HS/Laney College | Signed at 7:06 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
2021 (Sophomore) | After missing out on the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, turned into Laney College's top receiver in 2021…Led the team in receptions (34), reception yards (580) and receiving touchdowns (six) to help Laney College go 6-4…Generated his first - and only - 100-yard receiving effort of the year by finishing with 116 yards through the air on a season-high six grabs in a victory at American River (Oct. 2)…Grabbed hold of a season-high two touchdown catches in a loss to Diablo Valley (Oct. 15).
2019 (Freshman) | Started his collegiate career at Laney College - a California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) program…Totaled 70 receiving yards and a touchdown grab in four games…Totaled two catches for a season-high 28 yards and his lone touchdown in a win at Chabot (Nov. 16).
Kordell David | WR | Jr. | 6-3 | 195 | Winnie, Texas/East Chambers HS/Trinity Valley CC | Signed at 7:14 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | 2021 Stats | Highlights
2021 (Freshman) | Remained in the Lone Star State to start his collegiate playing career...Suited up for Trinity Valley Community College for his debut season of college football...Finished the year as one of the Cardinals' top receivers, generating 707 receiving yards and seven touchdowns...Totaled three games of 100+ receiving yards...Debuted with a 70-yard effort to go along with a touchdown in a lopsided win over ASA College (Sept. 4)...Turned heads by latching on to eight balls for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a victory over Tyler Junior College (Sept. 25).
Keyshaun Elliott | LB | Fr. | 6-3 | 220 | Richmond, Mo./Richmond HS | Signed at 7:51 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Suited up at quarterback and linebacker through his prep career at Richmond High School…Totaled 88 tackles, eight tackles for loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions on defense in 2021…Recorded an eye-popping 50 touchdowns (30 rushing, 20 passing) while playing quarterback…Named KMZU Class 2 Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 and 2020…Secured First Team All-State accolades as a linebacker and a punter…Named both First Team All-District and First Team All-Conference as a linebacker, quarterback and punter…Named a finalist for the 2021 Frank Fontana Award which honors the top small school all-around player in the state of Missouri…Rated as a two-star recruit by rivals.com…Earned collegiate offers from Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Kansas and Northern Iowa in addition to NM State.
Jai Rodriquez | OL | Fr. | 6-6 | 275 | Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS | Signed at 7:51 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Named First Team All-Region as a senior in 2021…Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com...Possessed collegiate offers from Arizona State, Idaho and Northern Arizona in addition to NM State.
Jonathan Brady | WR | Fr. | 5-11 | 174 | Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman HS | Signed at 8:06 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Lined up at wide receiver for 2021 Class 5A state champion Bishop Gorman…Racked up 31 catches for 670 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior in 2021…Named to the Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada Second Team in 2021…Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com...Also held an offer from Eastern Washington in addition to NM State.
Izaiah Reed | DL | Jr. | 6-1 | 297 | Elizabethtown, Ky./John Hardin HS/Murray State | Signed at 8:25 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
Spring 2021 (Sophomore) | 2020 season postponed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic…Took part in all seven of Murray State's contests…Totaled 22 tackles including 4.0 tackles for loss…Notched 2.5 sacks…Generated the first sack of his collegiate career and finished with three tackles in a win over UT Martin (Feb. 28)…Racked up a season-high five tackles including 1.0 for loss in a setback to Austin Peay (April 3)…Earned a spot on the All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Second Team.
2019 (Freshman) | Played in all 12 of Murray State's games in his debut collegiate season…Finished the year with 23 tackles including 1.5 for loss…Made his collegiate debut in a win over Pikeville where he finished with one tackle (Aug. 29)…Generated his first TFL as part of a two-tackle outing against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 5)…Turned in a season-high seven tackles in a showdown with Tennessee Tech (Nov. 2).
Jaden Robinson | DE | Fr. | 6-4 | 215 | Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas | Signed at 10:41 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Starred as a two-way player (wide receiver and defensive end) through his prep career at the Episcopal School of Dallas…Helped lead his team to the Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A championship game in 2021…Posted a 10-1 record with the Episcopal School of Dallas in 2021…Amassed 15 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles through ESD's first seven games of the 2021 season…Received an offer from Texas Southern in addition to NM State.
Buddha Peleti | DE | Fr. | 6-3 | 220 | Hesperia, Calif./Oak Hills HS | Signed at 10:53 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
High School | Put a bow on his prep career by securing the title of Mojave River League Defensive Player of the Year in December of 2021…Amassed 58 tackles - 39 of which were solo stops - to go along with six sacks and a forced fumble as a senior in 2021…With Peleti on their side, Oak Hills High School captured the Mojave River League championship.
Canaan Yarro | OL | R-So. | 6-1 | 295 | Provo, Utah/Timpview HS/Southern Utah | Signed at 11:01 a.m. MT on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 | Highlights
Fall 2021 (Redshirt Freshman) | Retained his eligibility classification from the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic…Appeared in all 11 games for the Thunderbirds on offensive line…Appeared at the top of Southern Utah's depth chart at center for all 11 contests.
Spring 2021 (Freshman) | 2020 season postponed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic…Was a member of the starting lineup for all six of the team's games…Named a Big Sky All-Academic Team member…Collected SSPS 2021 Second Team All-FCS Freshman honors.
2019 (Freshman) | Took part in just three contests, allowing him to retain his eligibility heading into the 2020-21 academic year…Made his first collegiate start by lining up at right guard in a win over Idaho State (Oct. 26).
High School | Rated as a three-star recruit by 247sports.com...Offensive line MVP at the Nike Opening in Las Vegas…Two time All-State team selection by the Deseret News…Three time All-Region selection …Three year, 33 game starter at Timpview High School in Provo, Utah…Part of the two time All-State Championship team…Offensive line MVP D1 Utah.
For complete coverage of NM State football as the Aggies prepare for year one under Coach Kill in 2022, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Football), Twitter (@NMStateFootball) and Instagram (@NMStateFootball).
