Final takeaways from New Mexico State's 2025 spring football practices (2025)

This story was updated to remove Freddy Joya's name. The former New Mexico State kicker announced his entry into the transfer portal at around 11:55 a.m. on April 8, around eight hours after this story was initially published.

Spring football ended last Wednesday for New Mexico State, as it completed two more practices through April 8-9 after playing its spring game in Artesia on April 5.

With the spring transfer portal window having opened on Wednesday and the Aggies preparing to enter summer workouts, here are a few observations of how their spring went:

Aggies have their quarterback

Logan Fife is NM State's man.

The Montana transfer made a strong impression on Aggies coach Tony Sanchez, who declared him "our guy" after the April 5 spring game. Fife played with NM State's first-team players throughout spring football and was the first quarterback to take the field for the spring game.

Fife transferred to the Aggies with intentions to start and looks to improve their passing offense. NM State finished second-to-last among Conference USA teams with 143.2 passing yards per game.

New faces at offensive skill positions

The Aggies return key players like running back Seth McGowan and their two leading receivers from last season in PJ Johnson III and TJ Pride. However, they'll be surrounded by plenty of additions.

Central Michigan transfer Gavin Harris took most of the starting snaps at tight end, while junior college transfers Jackson Owens and Shawn Brown and Mary Hardin-Baylor transfer AJ Williams III saw plenty of playing time at wide receiver. Owens, who earned 893 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns for Riverside City College (California) last season, took many first-team snaps.

NM State will be disappointed that Baylor transfer running back Dominic Richardson had to leave the team due to personal reasons, but it still has Utah transfer Dijon Stanley on board at the position. He started the spring game due to Sanchez holding out McGowan and looks ready to replace former Aggies running back Mike Washington (who transferred to Arkansas) as NM State's No. 2 player at the position.

Richardson's departure makes room for returning junior Isaiah Rudison, who scored the offense's only touchdown during the spring game with a one-yard rush.

Changes to offensive line

The Aggies will have three new starters on their offensive line in 2025, including at both tackle spots.

Returning senior AJ Vaipulu will move from left guard to replace the departing Canaan Yarro at center, and was protected this spring by not participating in any contact drills. Vaipulu started one game at center last season against Sam Houston.

Several players are in line to start at tackle. North Texas transfer My'Kai Lee and junior college transfer Merrick Becerra battled at left tackle, with Lee taking most of the first-team reps. Florida A&M transfer Janik Ogunlade is the favorite to start at right tackle.

Redshirt sophomore Kai Wheeler is a prime candidate to start at left guard, although freshman JR Hecklinksi shouldn't be ruled out.

Defense sees plenty starters returning

Many of NM State's key returners come on defense.

The Aggies' two leading tacklers from 2024, linebacker Tyler Martinez and safety Da'Marcus Crosby, are both back alongside defensive end Buddha Peleti, who recorded a team-high 4.5 sacks last season. Linebacker Sone Aupiu, cornerback Dakerric Hobbs, safety Nick Session and defensive tackle Naki Fahina have also returned.

That isn't to say there are no intriguing new players. Defensive end Gabe Peterson, who played at NM State from 2022-23, is a new-ish face after spending last season at Utah State. There are also plenty of new faces in the secondary, including junior college transfer Bernock Iya, who could be the Aggies' starter at slot cornerback.

NM State's defense needs to improve under second-year defensive coordinator Joe Morris. Among CUSA teams last season, the Aggies ranked last with 36.5 points allowed per game, second-to-last with 446.8 yards allowed and 251.6 passing yards allowed per game and third-to-last with 195.3 rushing yards allowed per game. NM State also ranked last in CUSA in both takeaways and sacks with 10 and 14, respectively.

New kickers in town

Former NM State kicker Abraham Montaño can't return for 2025. A ruling in favor of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia stating junior college years can't count against NCAA eligibility only applied to players who started their careers in the 2020s, and Montaño started at Hartnell College (California) in 2019.

The Aggies will need a new kicker. Freshman David Barker started the spring game and is on track to be NM State's primary kicker in 2025. Barker, a Queensland, Australia native, comes from ProKick Australia, an academy that trains Australians to become kickers and punters in the NFL and college football.

Barker missed a 50-yard field goal in the spring game, although Artesia's cold and rainy weather made for less-than-ideal kicking conditions. He eventually converted a 30-yard field goal.

NM State will add Valparaiso transfer Ryan Hawk to its ranks in the summer. He went 11-for-15 on field goals for the Beacons last year with his longest make at 51 yards.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Final takeaways from NMSU's 2025 spring football practices