Apr. 15—On the eve of the portal opening, the Lobos are already down one key player.
New Mexico tight end Keayen Nead is no longer with the program and plans on entering the transfer portal, head coach Jason Eck said after Tuesday's practice.
After joining the team in January, the 6-foot-5, 262-pound Weber State transfer projected as a starter during spring practice and was considered the best blocker in a completely remade tight end room. But the junior informed UNM's staff of his decision to re-enter the portal over the weekend, setting up another position the Lobos have to address in the spring transfer window.
College football's 10-day spring transfer window opens Wednesday and closes April 25.
Eck, UNM's first-year coach, admitted he was "surprised and disappointed" by Nead's decision and wished him well, but questioned the wisdom of re-entering the portal without playing an additional season.
"(If) you have no other game film to add, I don't think you've created any more value for yourself," he continued. "I think even if he would have stayed here for one year and wanted to go on next year, I think he could have created some value for himself. But obviously he's got some people in his head, and it's their decision.
"And, you know, I've kind of learned just to be at peace with it. Because I look back when I was 18 to 22 years old, I made a lot of bad decisions. Some of these guys are gonna make bad decisions — you try to advise them, but (I) can't try to keep myself up at night thinking about it."
A Sugar City, Idaho native, Nead posted 16 receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown over two seasons at Weber State before entering the portal in December. He told the Journal last week that Eck's offense and his reputation as a program-builder sold him on joining UNM; Eck is the former head coach at Idaho, the…
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Publish date : 2025-04-16 03:04:00
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