#BestOfThe2000s: Carlos Wiggins
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Carlos Wiggins could do it all, and when he came out of Texas to UNM at 5-foot-9 (maybe), 160 pounds (again, maybe), it was normal for him to be dismissed. It’s possible he felt that way about the #BestOfThe2000s team, but just like everything else in his career at UNM, Wiggins overcame and proved he belonged. Wiggins edged out Cole Gautsche in the final vote to be named the 30th and final member of the #BestOfThe2000s Lobo Football team, making it as an all-purpose player.
Wiggins picked up 34.6% of the vote to just edge out Cole Gautsche, his former teammate, who grabbed 33.1%. Gabriel Fulbright finished a close third and Ian Counter was fourth in the voting
The series has been a way to engage Lobo fans with the current situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wiggins was an offensive and special teams dynamo in his time at UNM. The slot receiver actually ran the ball more times in his career (44) than he had receptions (36). Wiggins rushed for 496 yards in his career with four touchdowns, and he gained 560 yards receiving, also with four touchdowns. However, he was an all-conference performer as a kickoff return specialist, averaging 27.9 yards on 89 returns with five touchdowns. He is the only player in the history of Lobo Football to record at least four career touchdowns in three different ways, rushing, receiving and kickoff returns.
Wiggins’ five kickoff return touchdowns is a school record, and it was a Mountain West record at the conclusion of his career. He also owns UNM records for kickoff return yards in a game, season and career, and his 47 returns in 2013 is also a school record. Three of those returns went for touchdowns, which tied a single-season UNM record. Of the eight 100-yard returns in school history, Wiggins had three of them. He ranks fifth on the single-season all-purpose yardage list at UNM, and he is tenth in career all-purpose yardage at UNM. His 2013 year earned his four All-America honors, including second team by SB Nation as he was the Mountain West’s Special Teams Player of the Year.
#BestOfThe2000s Team (Selected by the Fans)
Offense | Defense | ||
QB | Lamar Jordan | DL | Michael Tuohy |
RB | DonTrell Moore | DL | Evroy Thompson |
RB | Jhurell Pressley | DL | D. J. Renteria |
WR | Hank Baskett | LB | Dallas Bollema |
WR | Travis Brown | LB | Dakota Cox |
WR | Marcus Smith | LB | Carmen Messina |
TE | Marcus Williams | LB | Nick Speegle |
OL | Byron Bell | DB | Brandon Payne |
OL | Erik Cook | DB | Glover Quin |
OL | Ryan Cook | DB | Brandon Ratcliff |
OL | Aaron Jenkins | DB | D’Angelo Ross |
OL | Jason Lenzmeier | DB | Quincy Black |
Special Teams | |||
PK | Jason Sanders | ||
P | Corey Bojorquez | ||
KR | Elijah Lilly | ||
PR | Marcus Hayes | ||
LS | Steven Romero | ||
AP | Carlos Wiggins |
By the slimmest of margins, Carlos Wiggins is the 30th and final member of the #BestOfThe2000s team! We did it everyone! We will have a big wrap-up later in the week!!! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/iTilZxlUXh
— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) May 13, 2020