Jan. 17—New Mexico’s backfield received a significant boost Friday.
Sam Houston State transfer running back DJ McKinney has signed with New Mexico, the program announced via social media.
The 5-foot-9, 180-pound redshirt freshman earned Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors last season after rushing for three touchdowns and 481 yards, the third-best mark on the team. A C-USA All-Freshman team honoree, he joins the Lobos with three years of eligibility remaining.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, McKinney previously played under new UNM running backs coach John Johnson. Johnson and special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato both worked at SHSU before new Lobos coach Jason Eck hired them in January.
McKinney represents another key commit as UNM works to rebuild a backfield that lost 2,943 yards of rushing production from last season: The Lobos also landed commitments from Weber State transfer Damon Bankston (1,104 yards, six touchdowns in 2024) and Idaho transfer Deshaun Buchanan (567 yards, five touchdowns in 2024) to help replace former running backs UNM ball players Eli Sanders, Na’Quari Rogers and Javen Jacobs.
After redshirting his freshman season, McKinney averaged SHSU’s top five yards per carry last season, ahead of running back Jay Ducker (4.7 yards) and quarterback Hunter Watson (3.9 yards). McKinney ran for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-21 victory at UTEP on October 3, the second-highest total for SHSU all season.
McKinney announced his decision to enter the portal on Dec. 6, the same week former SHSU head coach KC Keeler left to take the same position at Temple, and received offers from Tulsa and FCS Missouri State before choosing UNM.
UNM has now added 29 transfers since December, which Eck said was an “aggressive” effort to revamp the roster after losing 20 players to the portal. Eck was hired to replace former head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who left for Utah State on December 6.
