Saturday, February 5, 2011

Mayfield players coming to NMSU as preferred walk-ons

Mayfield High School had a ceremony in their weight room on Friday announcing Matt Ramondo and Brandon Betancourt signing with their respective colleges — Michigan State and New Mexico State.

The football program also announced three more players going to NMSU as “preferred walk-ons.”

That would be Brock Baca, Andrew Zapien and Devante Minor.

Baca, a standout linebacker and kicker on MHS, will push for playing time in the kicking game. He could get a look as a kickoff specialist or as a long-range field goal kicker.

Zapien, an offensive lineman and lead blocker for the Trojans, will get a shot at linebacker at NMSU.

Minor, a defensive back, will get a crack at safety.

The Aggies have done a nice job going after New Mexico players. They signed three from in-state on Wednesday and will bring on these additional walk-ons. If nothing else, it's a good PR move for the program. If these kids can come in and make an impact, even plug some holes, it will be even better.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's a win-win for everyone involved.

Anonymous said...

I watched the state title game online from another state and I was really impressed with how Mayfield dominated a huge and very good Manzano team. Mayfield can compete with any other high school team in the country and I'm glad their players are getting a shot at Div. I football. I think the Mayfield players, and other NM players, will do very well at NM State.

Anonymous said...

Compete with anyone in the country? You obviously have not seen high school football from other places like California.

There is a reason NMSU doesn't recruit that often from Las Cruces.

Anonymous said...

I've seen nationally ranked teams from Texas and Mayfield is very capable of competing.

Right, and yet many local NM kids go to big schools like Michigan State, Colorado, Texas, Michigan, Notre Dame...just to name a few....but they aren't any good.

The kids from California that play for NM State are weak. If NM State is going to lose, at least use local kids...it's been proven that during periods of higher numbers of NM kids on the NM State squad, the Aggies actually win a few games.

Mayfield and Las Cruces have excellent high school programs. Mayfield had a down year for them and they still won state.

Anonymous said...

If NMSU can get these local (Mayfield etc..)It means no other D1 school wanted them and that translates to losing games.

Wasn't James Hall a local star???