2015 National Signing Day: Six New Mexico high school football players sign with FBS schools

Six players who played their prep football at New Mexico high schools — including Gatorade Player of the Year Zach Gentry — signed with major colleges on Wednesday. Two of them chose home-state University of New Mexico, another two selected New Mexico State and the final two chose to go to school in Texas.

* Gentry, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound quarterback from Eldorado (Albuquerque), had chosen the University of Texas in May but recently flipped to the University of Michigan when San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh returned to his alma mater in Ann Arbor.

MaxPreps was unable to contact Gentry, but Eldorado coach Charlie Dotson pointed out, "He's not talking to anybody. So much stuff has gone on the last two or three weeks. Michigan came in at the last minute. Obviously coach Harbaugh had a pretty big impact on his decision. (He liked) the atmosphere and trying to be a part of the resurgence of Michigan was attractive."

One other thing also may have led Gentry away from Texas.

Coach Dotson noted, "Zach had some concerns about what offense they would run."

Harbaugh is taking recruiting very seriously and Gentry is going to have his work cut out. Dotson related, "They have four other quarterbacks in camp right now, so he is going to have to compete."

Gentry is rated one of the best quarterbacks in New Mexico history after a brilliant career during which he passed for 55 touchdowns and ran for 47. Will Dotson ever have another one?

His quick reply: "No quarterbacks are 6-7 and can run (40 yards in 4.5 seconds) like him."

* Blair Manly has signed with the University of New Mexico. The 6-1, 185-pound wide receiver-defensive back starred for Cibola (Albuquerque) and ran 40 yards in a sizzling 4.3 seconds. He made 19 catches for 425 yards and seven touchdowns and ran 13 times for 133 yards. On defense he made two interceptions, deflected nine passes and had 35 tackles. He made first-team All-State as a cornerback.

Cibola coach Rod Williams pointed out that defense will be Manly's best position in college.

He noted, "He is super-fast and quick as well. He's a shut-down corner guy. He has great size and range and a lot of upside skill."

Manly told MaxPreps that the Lobos "have got a new weight room which is really cool. I'm going to major as an athletic trainer or a physical therapist.  I've got a good chance to play early if I put on a little weight. I want to be 195 (by the start of his freshman year)."

*Bryson Martinez is returning home to play for the Lobos after two outstanding years at Pierce College in suburban Los Angeles. He is a 6-2, 203-pound wide receiver who starred for Piedra Vista (Farmington) two years earlier.

Martinez is a superb athlete who runs 40 yards in 4.47 seconds, bench presses 245 pounds and has a 36-inch vertical jump.

Piedra Vista coach Jared Howell told MaxPreps, "He had a very good career. He has really good hands and really developed a good work ethic which can propel him to success. He has good vision — running back vision — and good instincts. His runs after the catch yielded some good results. He also is a team guy and really unselfish."

Martinez had such good success at Pierce College that he also drew offers from such other colleges as North Dakota, San Diego and Wright State.

His freshman year at Pierce he caught 30 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns, seeing action in seven games during the 9-2 campaign. As a sophomore he made 36 catches for 463 yards and five touchdowns in all 10 games and his 73-yard TD catch was second best on the team.

Pierce coach Jason Sabolic told MaxPreps, "He was our go-to guy this year — such a tough kid. He impressed us with his physical ability day in and day out. He left as a viable product. He will be a tremendous asset whatever team he plays for. If he gets his shot, the sky is the limit."

*Also signing were Kavika Johnson of Mayfield (Las Cruces, N.M.), Isaiah Mcintyre of Las Cruces and Brian Trujillo of Volcano Vista (Albuquerque). Johnson signed with UTEP, while McIntyre and Trujillo both signed with New Mexico State.