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New Mexico State's 2026 football team has 20 total newcomers on defense and two on special teams. Five of the 20 defensive newcomers are high school recruits, six come from junior colleges and the remaining 11 transferred from other colleges. Both of the newcomers on special teams arrived from the transfer portal.
MORE AGGIES FOOTBALL: How aggressive was New Mexico State in the transfer portal?
MORE AGGIES FOOTBALL: Two of NMSU's new Adidas uniforms are showcased after player social media leaks
Here's a look at each player, along with something notable about all 22 of them:
DL Jordan-Lebron Downey (Junior, 6-foot-2, 280 pounds)
Arriving from: Livingstone College (Division II)
2025 stats: 25 total tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Notable info: Downey made at least one tackle in every game he played in for Livingstone.
DL Ellijah Farr (RS Freshman, 6-2, 350)
Arriving from: Plano East Senior High School (Texas)
2025 stats: N/A
Notable info: Farr was an equipment manager for NM State last year and has joined the football team as a walk-on. He was a three-year varsity player in high school.
DL Paul Kouame (Sophomore, 6-3, 235)
Arriving from: Long Beach City College (JUCO)
2025 stats: Seven sacks and two forced fumbles.
Notable info: Kouame was rated a three-star JUCO recruit by 247Sports.
DL Kaian Roberts-Day (RS Senior, 6-3, 295)
Arriving from: UTSA
2025 stats: Nine total tackles.
Notable info: Roberts-Day played in all 13 of UTSA's games in 2025 and made one start.
DL Jeremiah Sandiford (Senior, 6-0, 290)
Arriving from: Tennessee Tech
2025 stats: 19 total tackles.
Notable info: Sandiford received an 83.8 PFF run-defense grade last season, the highest among defensive linemen in the OVC-Big South Football Association.
DE Zhakius Thomas(Junior, 6-2, 250)
Arriving from: Trinity Valley Community College
2025 stats: 54 total tackles, seven sacks and one fumble recovery.
Notable info: Thomas was rated a three-star JUCO recruit by 247Sports.
DE Jamaun Thompson (Freshman, 6-2, 230)
Arriving from: Booker High School (Florida)
2025 stats: 31 total tackles and 7.5 sacks.
Notable info: He is the younger brother of Jamall Thompson Jr., who played for the Aggies last season.
LB Jason Freeman Jr. (Freshman, 6-1, 175)
Arriving from: Lakeview Centennial High School (Texas)
2025 stats: 90 total tackles, one sack, seven pass breakups and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Freeman Jr. was a first-team All-District player last season.
LB Fa'apaia Fualema (Junior, 6-0, 225)
Arriving from: Foothill College (JUCO)
2025 stats: 76 total tackles and three pass breakups.
Notable info: Fualema was a first-team All-California Community College player in 2024.
LB Jaylyn Manning (Freshman, 6-1, 230)
Arriving from: Duncanville High School (Texas)
2025 stats: 120 total tackles and two interceptions.
Notable info: Manning earned first-team All-District 11-6A honors in 2025.
CB Amaurey Brooks (RS Sophomore, 6-0, 180)
Arriving from: Fordham
2025 stats: Three total tackles and one fumble recovery.
Notable info: Brooks played 11 games for the Rams last season.
CB Izzy Clark-White (RS Junior, 6-0, 170)
Arriving from: Monmouth
2025 stats: 39 total tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception.
Notable info: Clark-White was an honorable mention on the All-Coastal Athletic Association team in 2025.
CB Javon Gillespie (RS Junior, 6-1, 185)
Arriving from: East Texas A&M
2025 stats: 32 total tackles and two interceptions.
Notable info: Gillespie started 10 games last year and recorded 10 pass deflections in the 2025 season.
CB Elijah Gutierrez (RS Sophomore, 6-0, 185)
Arriving from: Southwestern College (JUCO)
2025 stats: 17 total tackles and two interceptions.
Notable info: Gutierrez committed to the Aggies in March.
CB De'Marcus Peters (RS Senior, 5-10, 175)
Arriving from: Texas A&M-Kingsville
2025 stats: 29 total tackles, three pass deflections and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Peters was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference selection in 2025.
CB Twan Wilson (RS Sophomore, 6-0, 171)
Arriving from: Iowa Central Community College
2025 stats: 19 total tackles.
Notable info: Wilson played at Coffeyville Community College in 2024.
S Tayden Barnes (RS Junior, 5-9, 185)
Arriving from: Cincinnati
2025 stats: 26 total tackles and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Barnes earned All-Conference USA Freshman and All-CUSA honorable mention selections in 2024 after leading NM State in interceptions and pass breakups. He played 185 defensive snaps for Cincinnati last year.
S RJ Chapman (RS Senior, 6-0, 190)
Arriving from: Merrimack
2025 stats: 37 total tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Chapman posted an 88.2 PFF coverage grade last season.
S Eric Rivera (Junior, 6-2, 195)
Arriving from: Ventura College (JUCO)
2025 stats: 28 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Rivera can also play nickel.
S Garrett Stennett (Freshman, 6-0, 185)
Arriving from: Pflugerville Weiss High School (Texas)
2025 stats: 56 tackles and three interceptions.
Notable info: Stennett was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.
K Ilya Uvaydov (RS Senior, 5-8, 175)
Arriving from: Utah Tech
2025 stats: 15-for-22 on field goals and 21-for-21 on extra points.
Notable info: Uvaydov's longest field goal with the Trailblazers was a 55-yarder.
P Brody Richter (RS Senior, 6-3, 210)
Arriving from: Minnesota
2025 stats: N/A
Notable info: Richter was UCLA's primary punter in 2024 and punted 40 times for 1,712 yards.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Every new defensive and special teams player for NMSU football in 2026
Continue reading...
MORE AGGIES FOOTBALL: How aggressive was New Mexico State in the transfer portal?
MORE AGGIES FOOTBALL: Two of NMSU's new Adidas uniforms are showcased after player social media leaks
Here's a look at each player, along with something notable about all 22 of them:
Defense
DL Jordan-Lebron Downey (Junior, 6-foot-2, 280 pounds)
Arriving from: Livingstone College (Division II)
2025 stats: 25 total tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Notable info: Downey made at least one tackle in every game he played in for Livingstone.
DL Ellijah Farr (RS Freshman, 6-2, 350)
Arriving from: Plano East Senior High School (Texas)
2025 stats: N/A
Notable info: Farr was an equipment manager for NM State last year and has joined the football team as a walk-on. He was a three-year varsity player in high school.
DL Paul Kouame (Sophomore, 6-3, 235)
Arriving from: Long Beach City College (JUCO)
2025 stats: Seven sacks and two forced fumbles.
Notable info: Kouame was rated a three-star JUCO recruit by 247Sports.
DL Kaian Roberts-Day (RS Senior, 6-3, 295)
Arriving from: UTSA
2025 stats: Nine total tackles.
Notable info: Roberts-Day played in all 13 of UTSA's games in 2025 and made one start.
DL Jeremiah Sandiford (Senior, 6-0, 290)
Arriving from: Tennessee Tech
2025 stats: 19 total tackles.
Notable info: Sandiford received an 83.8 PFF run-defense grade last season, the highest among defensive linemen in the OVC-Big South Football Association.
DE Zhakius Thomas(Junior, 6-2, 250)
Arriving from: Trinity Valley Community College
2025 stats: 54 total tackles, seven sacks and one fumble recovery.
Notable info: Thomas was rated a three-star JUCO recruit by 247Sports.
DE Jamaun Thompson (Freshman, 6-2, 230)
Arriving from: Booker High School (Florida)
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2025 stats: 31 total tackles and 7.5 sacks.
Notable info: He is the younger brother of Jamall Thompson Jr., who played for the Aggies last season.
LB Jason Freeman Jr. (Freshman, 6-1, 175)
Arriving from: Lakeview Centennial High School (Texas)
2025 stats: 90 total tackles, one sack, seven pass breakups and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Freeman Jr. was a first-team All-District player last season.
LB Fa'apaia Fualema (Junior, 6-0, 225)
Arriving from: Foothill College (JUCO)
2025 stats: 76 total tackles and three pass breakups.
Notable info: Fualema was a first-team All-California Community College player in 2024.
LB Jaylyn Manning (Freshman, 6-1, 230)
Arriving from: Duncanville High School (Texas)
2025 stats: 120 total tackles and two interceptions.
Notable info: Manning earned first-team All-District 11-6A honors in 2025.
CB Amaurey Brooks (RS Sophomore, 6-0, 180)
Arriving from: Fordham
2025 stats: Three total tackles and one fumble recovery.
Notable info: Brooks played 11 games for the Rams last season.
CB Izzy Clark-White (RS Junior, 6-0, 170)
Arriving from: Monmouth
2025 stats: 39 total tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception.
Notable info: Clark-White was an honorable mention on the All-Coastal Athletic Association team in 2025.
CB Javon Gillespie (RS Junior, 6-1, 185)
Arriving from: East Texas A&M
2025 stats: 32 total tackles and two interceptions.
Notable info: Gillespie started 10 games last year and recorded 10 pass deflections in the 2025 season.
CB Elijah Gutierrez (RS Sophomore, 6-0, 185)
Arriving from: Southwestern College (JUCO)
2025 stats: 17 total tackles and two interceptions.
Notable info: Gutierrez committed to the Aggies in March.
CB De'Marcus Peters (RS Senior, 5-10, 175)
Arriving from: Texas A&M-Kingsville
2025 stats: 29 total tackles, three pass deflections and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Peters was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference selection in 2025.
CB Twan Wilson (RS Sophomore, 6-0, 171)
Arriving from: Iowa Central Community College
2025 stats: 19 total tackles.
Notable info: Wilson played at Coffeyville Community College in 2024.
S Tayden Barnes (RS Junior, 5-9, 185)
Arriving from: Cincinnati
2025 stats: 26 total tackles and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Barnes earned All-Conference USA Freshman and All-CUSA honorable mention selections in 2024 after leading NM State in interceptions and pass breakups. He played 185 defensive snaps for Cincinnati last year.
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S RJ Chapman (RS Senior, 6-0, 190)
Arriving from: Merrimack
2025 stats: 37 total tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Chapman posted an 88.2 PFF coverage grade last season.
S Eric Rivera (Junior, 6-2, 195)
Arriving from: Ventura College (JUCO)
2025 stats: 28 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble.
Notable info: Rivera can also play nickel.
S Garrett Stennett (Freshman, 6-0, 185)
Arriving from: Pflugerville Weiss High School (Texas)
2025 stats: 56 tackles and three interceptions.
Notable info: Stennett was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.
Special teams
K Ilya Uvaydov (RS Senior, 5-8, 175)
Arriving from: Utah Tech
2025 stats: 15-for-22 on field goals and 21-for-21 on extra points.
Notable info: Uvaydov's longest field goal with the Trailblazers was a 55-yarder.
P Brody Richter (RS Senior, 6-3, 210)
Arriving from: Minnesota
2025 stats: N/A
Notable info: Richter was UCLA's primary punter in 2024 and punted 40 times for 1,712 yards.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Every new defensive and special teams player for NMSU football in 2026
Continue reading...
