Jaxton Eck Named to Butkus Award Watch List

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- Anoth day, another preseason award for Jaxton Eck. The returning All-America linebacker has been named to his fifth Watch List as he was named to the Butkus Award Watch List.

The Butkus Award is presented to the best linebacker in college football. It's his third honor of the week. On Tuesday, Eck was named to the Lombardi Watch List and the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.

Eck was a First Team CSC Academic All-American in 2025 and a Third Team All-American after finishing 10th nationally in total tackles (129) and tackles per game (9.9). He has volunteered for all public service with the football team, and he has been a regular reader at UNMH Children's Hospital. Additionally, he manned a table and spoke on campus for the "Be A Match" program; he has volunteered with Nusenda Credit Union on various social projects; and he led the squad in feeding people experiencing homelessness at the 2025 Rate Bowl.

The honors bring Ecks' preseason award total to five, as earlier in August he was named to the AFCA Good Works Team Watch List and the Bronco Nagurski Award Watch List for the nation's best defensive player. Those awards go with his two on Tuesday with the Lombardi and the Wuerffel.

New Mexico opens the season with a pair of home games, hosting Central Michigan on FS1 at 8 pm on Saturday, September 5, before hosting Mercyhurst at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 12.

Season tickets are still on sale, and single-game tickets and mini plans are now available as Lobo season ticket numbers continue to rise in advance of the season.

For fans who can't make it to the Mercyhurst game, it will be the first Lobo Football game to be broadcast exclusively on MW+.

MW+ is the Mountain West's new direct-to-consumer digital subscription platform, powered by Kiswe, a leading streaming technology and services company. The platform marks a significant step forward in the Conference’s digital evolution, delivering expanded access to live and on-demand content, while creating new opportunities for fan engagement and revenue generation for member institutions. Most of each subscription purchased through a member school’s dedicated page will directly support that institution, creating a scalable and sustainable revenue opportunity aligned with fan engagement.

Along with live events such as football, soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball, MW+ will get you exclusive access to live press conferences, podcasts, and coaches' shows.

Lobo fans can register for their MW+ accounts right here. By registering through that link, UNM will reap the subscription benefits. Fans who purchase by August 31 using the code WELCOME15 will get 15% off their annual subscription.