New Mexico Lobos Offensive Playmakers to Watch vs. Texas A&M in Week 1
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Opening their season with a home non-conference matchup against the New Mexico Lobos is likely to be the Texas A&M Aggies' first win of the year.
It isn't guaranteed, however, and the Aggies will be doing everything they can to run a seamless offense and air-tight defense.
A successful game-plan execution will not only give the Aggies momentum heading into their Power-5 matchup against Miami in week two but also a chance to pinpoint areas of improvement that need to be made, especially as the opponents get tougher.
New Mexico on the other hand, isn't going to sit and let it happen. The Lobos have lost the last two matchups against the Aggies, and certainly want a taste of the success that Appalachian State found on Kyle Field.
To pull off the upset, they'll need to look to their top offensive playmakers, some of which are brand new and will be making their debut against the Aggies.
These are four of them, and how they could make life difficult for Texas A&M on opening night:
QB Dylan Hopkins
Transferring from UAB, Hopkins will be looking to make an instant impact for the Lobos. The graduate will be the third transfer of his status in the same amount of years for New Mexico, and while he doesn't have experience within the system, he does have experience at the college level, making him a leader right away. On the field, Hopkins excels at finding open receivers and tends to be accurate when throwing — amassing a 63 percent completion rate last season. He threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 10 touchdowns on just four interceptions, so the Aggies can't chalk him up as just "another quarterback" seeing as he has found success in his prior years.
RB Christian Washington
Last season, Washington proved to be an explosive back with extreme speed. While he spent most of his time as a backup, he did get reps throughout the year, and made the most of them. The freshman passed 300 yards and averaged 4.2 yards a carry on 73 total carries — which will likely increase this season — to put himself at the top of the pecking order for this upcoming season. When he wasn't running the ball, Washington was a dangerous kick returner, even housing a 100-yard return in just his second year. The sophomore will be looking to have a breakout season, and a solid showing against the Aggies could be the start he needs.
WR Duo Luke Wysong, D.J. Washington
New Mexico is dealing with a turnover unlike most college programs have seen at receiver. Following last season, seven of their top nine receivers either graduated or left via the transfer portal, leaving just two returning receivers and another eight incoming transfers to take their place. With an entirely new group, Wysong will be looking to set himself apart, already having a year of Lobo football under his belt.
Last season, Wysong showed flashes of potential, racking up nearly 300 receiving yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.6 yards per catch in the process. If his numbers show any improvement, he'll be able to match his high average with even more yards, making for a strong target for his veteran quarterback. Joining him from Iowa Central CC will be D.J. Washington, who tallied 863 yards and 10 touchdowns on 54 receptions last season. Washington is another experienced player with serious talent, so the Aggies will need to watch for both guys on defense, especially if they find their rhythm early.
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