Lobos Get Nine on Phil Steele Preseason Team
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A week after seven Lobos picked up preseason All-Mountain West honors from Athlon Sports, nine have been recognized by Phil Steele Magazine, including a First Team selection in corner Donte Martin.
Martin is the top returner on a defense that ranked in the Top 50 last season for the first time since the 2008 season. Ironically, while Martin is the lone defensive starter returning, UNM actually returns a host of regular starters that due to injury didn’t start half of last seasons’ games. Defensively, one of those players is Lobo backer Tavian Combs, who was a Third Team pick despite only playing three games and redshirting the season. Martin, who is in line to break the UNM record for passes broken up and could tie the school record for games played, joins with Combs, the 2021 team interception leader, as a formidable defensive backfield duo.
Also named to the team on defense is safety D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, a transfer from TCU. DPM showed early on in Spring that he could be on e of the top safeties in the Mountain West, and earning Fourth Team honors without a game under his belt showcases that. The other member of the defense selected was Loa Lunas graduate Tyler Kiehne, also to the fourth team. Kiehne is another part-time starter from 2022 and he will anchor a revamped defensive line for UNM.
On offense, offensive lineman J.C. Davis earned third team honors after being Honorable Mention after last season. Davis is the anchor along a new line that has seen plenty of added depth to an already deep group returning. Two receivers made the list in fleshy JC transfer D.J. Washington and former Cleveland star Luke Wysong, both to the fourth team.
Wysong has nearly 70 catches in his first two seasons, and pundits expect a big season from him, despite not being the focal point of the passing game. With UNM’s suddenly deep receiving corps, Wysong should be able to showcase his speed and athleticism in 2023. For Washington, he gives UNM something they haven’t had since Delane Hart-Johsnon was running up and down the field, and that’s a superb pass catcher that can out-leap and out-physical defensive backs. Washington also has the speed to race past defenders, which he showed over and over again in the Spring Game.
On special teams, punter Aaron Rodriguez and kickoff returner Christian Washington were both on the second team. Rodriguez could move into second in the all-time punting average lits, and Washington led the Mountain West in kickoff return average in 2022.
Of the nine players honored, six (Wysong, Rodriguez, Washington, Combs, Martin and Davis) were honored as well by Athlon. Only C.J. James, who earned third team OL honors from Athlon, wasn’t also recognized by Phil Steele.
The Lobos open the season on September 2 at Texas A&M on national television on ESPN before hosting back-to-back home games against Tennessee Tech (9/9) and New Mexico State (9/16). Fans can purchase season tickets to lock in their seats for all six home games (including the rivalry game) by heading to www.golobos.com/tickets.