If this year's recruiting class is any indication, the UNM football team will be more able to add to its roster from anywhere throughout the country.
The Lobos announced Wednesday their 2008 signing class, which is made up of 22 players from 10 states.
UNM head coach Rocky Long said he was pleased to grab players from around the country.
"We've got them from east, west, north, south," he said. "Some of that is our program is at the point now that we have to expand nationally to recruit."
UNM signed 16 high school students and added six transfers. Four of the transfers are offensive linemen, whom Long said might be able to contribute right away.
Long said UNM had the smallest recruiting budget in the Mountain West Conference until this year.
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He said the athletics department was able to increase the budget, putting the Lobos in the middle of the pack when it comes to spending money on recruiting.
Due to that, UNM was able to sign a couple players from areas it would not have been able to visit in the past, Long said.
Although Long was pleased UNM had more resources to broaden its recruiting, one of the highlights of the list came from within the city.
Quarterback Jonathan Mader was a standout at Cibola High School. In his senior season last year, he threw for 1,654 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also ran for 501 yards and four touchdowns.
At 6-feet-4-inches and 200 pounds, Mader has the size and athleticism to play more than one position.
But with the quarterback position likely set for the next couple years with sophomore Donovan Porterie, Mader's athleticism could be a huge plus for the Lobos, Long said.
"We're going to give him a chance to be a quarterback, but if he doesn't look like he's going to be one of the top three quarterbacks in a program within a year . there's a lot of places he could play because of his athletic ability," he said.
Mader was one of three signees from a New Mexico high school. The Lobos signed a pair of defensive backs from Las Cruces in Nathan Enriquez and Freddy Young, who both attended Mayfield High School.
While the Lobos may have taken a step forward in recruiting, Long said they are still not on the same level as the elite schools in the nation.
Because of that, the recruiting process is difficult, he said.
"Our situation is to look at guys we think will grow and get bigger and stronger and mature," he said. "Guys that might be a little small right now but have the athletic ability."
