There are plenty of new faces in Las Cruces.
New Mexico State brought in 31 total players from junior colleges and Division I schools to replace its 37 departures to the transfer portal last season. Those 37 players include the Aggies’ former starting quarterback Diego Pavia, their second and fourth-leading rushers, their six leading pass-catchers and their two leading tacklers from last season.
Pavia also headlines the list of five All-Conference USA players that left, including former NM State defensive tackle Sterling Webb.
NM State coach Tony Sanchez is excited about the transfer class he brought in to replace them. Some of the 31 arrivals will serve as depth, but he expects several to play key roles for the Aggies this season.
“There’s a lot of new guys in this group that are really, really talented,” Sanchez said. “It’s a really good group that I can go on and on about.”
Here’s a look at some of the Aggies’ top transfers to watch this season:
RB Seth McGowan (Oklahoma, Butler C. C.)
Seth McGowan is one of NM State’s marquee transfers in 2024. A four-star recruit in 2020, McGowan played one season at Oklahoma in 2020, rushing for 370 yards and three touchdowns before being dismissed in 2021.
McGowan resurfaced at Butler Community College last season, rushing for 125 yards and four touchdowns in six games. Despite his off-field issues, Sanchez believes the now-junior has turned it around.
“He’s a great guy. Everybody deserves a second chance,” Sanchez said. “Since the day he's got here, he's been a straight-up guy, he's been a great practice player and he's been a great off-the-field teammate. He's been a pleasure to be around. Football out of the equation, it's great to see guys like that land on their feet.”
On the field, Sanchez loves McGowan’s talent and the experience he brings from a prestigious program like OU. He’s set to play his first FBS game in four years if he takes the field on Aug. 31 against Southeast Missouri State, but that hasn’t phased Sanchez.
“He’s done some really good things and has experience at a high level,” Sanchez said. “He’s going to make a huge difference for us.”
More: New Mexico State football 2024 schedule: Aggies set to take on Liberty in first C-USA game
RB Mike Washington (Buffalo)
Washington is another new running back for the Aggies and shares the same 215-pound frame as McGowan. The redshirt junior played the last three seasons at Buffalo and rushed for 1,119 yards and 10 touchdowns, including 362 rushing yards last season.
Sanchez has called Washington “unbelievably impressive” since arriving in Las Cruces and likes his combination of speed, physical running and receiving ability.
“I’m really excited about the possibilities he has with us,” Sanchez said. “It’s going to be fun to watch him play and watch him grow with us.”
Sanchez hopes having Washington, McGowan and returning junior Monte Watkins makes NM State’s rushing attack different in 2024. Pavia led the Aggies in rushing last season, and Sanchez hopes one of three helps NM State rely on fewer quarterback runs.
“We want to be a little different this year,” Sanchez said. “I look at (Washington and McGowan), and they’re both explosive, they’re big, they both have some height to them and they can catch the ball well. As far as pure talent, I think we're in a better situation than we've been in at the running back position since I've been here.”
DT Naki Fahina (UNLV)
The Aggies have a slew of new defensive linemen this season that will try and replace Webb, including five incoming transfers.
Houston transfer Justin Beadles and Northwestern transfer Matt Lawson will rotate in, but UNLV transfer Naki Fahina may be the most crucial of the bunch. The 300-pound redshirt senior will likely be the Aggies’ starting nose tackle in week one after spending the last five seasons with the Rebels, including in 2019 during Sanchez’s final year with the program.
Fahina started for UNLV in 2021, but an injury kept him out for most of the 2022 season. After recording just three tackles in 2023, Fahina looks for a fresh start in Las Cruces.
“He’s a dynamic guy,” Sanchez said. “He’s a good pass rusher, a good guy to plug the run. He does a really good job and has a ton of experience under his belt."
More: New Mexico State football: Tony Sanchez on team's QB battle, new transfers, CUSA chances
S Nick Session (Oklahoma State)
Session comes from Oklahoma State, where he’s played the last four seasons.
He never started for the Cowboys, recording just eight tackles in those four seasons, but is likely to be one this year for the Aggies. Session joined NM State in the spring and has made a substantial impression on Sanchez to lock down a starting spot.
As a strong safety, Sanchez likes Session's ability to make plays at the line of scrimmage and be a physical presence in the secondary. His strong practices have resulted in Sanchez having considerable expectations this season.
“He’s been great in the spring and summer since he got here,” Sanchez said. “We’ll see how it all plays out, but it looks like he’s going to start, so I’m excited about that.”
CB Dakerric Hobbs and S Da’Marcus Crosby (Sam Houston)
After defensive coordinator Joe Morris joined Sanchez’s staff from Sam Houston, NM State landed two of the Bearkats’ defensive starters when redshirt seniors Dakerric Hobbs and Da’Marcus Crosby followed Morris.
Crosby led Sam Houston with four interceptions last season and defended three passes, earning first-team All-CUSA honors. Hobbs didn’t intercept a pass in 2023, but he did defend five passes and made 38 total tackles.
Crosby will likely line up alongside Session at free safety, while Hobbs looks set to be one of the Aggies’ starting outside corners. Both are expected to bring leadership and familiarity with Morris' defensive scheme to NM State's secondary
“These are two really good players that started for Sam Houston last season,” Sanchez said. “They played a ton and are familiar with our defense, so they’ll make immediate impacts in the secondary."
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico State football: Seth McGowan, Da’Marcus Crosby headline transfers to watch
Most Popular
Comments / 0