Cleveland's Hatch commits to NM State, set to join Aggies in 2028

RIO RANCHO — New Mexico’s best is headed south.

Jordan Hatch, the reigning 6A state champion quarterback and New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year with the Cleveland Storm, has announced his commitment to New Mexico State University to continue his football career with the Aggies.

“I think for every high school athlete, their goal is to play at the Division I level,” Hatch said. “So to have that opportunity is super exciting. I can’t wait to be an Aggie.”

It was almost two months ago that Hatch was announced as Gatorade’s choice for the state’s top star. Another championship was secured, accolades were piling in, but the only thing up in the air was his college decision.

Now, the Cleveland senior will bring that championship resume to Las Cruces.

“One of the main things that made NMSU the right choice is their QB coach, Coach Yost," Hatch said. “He has coached plenty of successful players who have gone on to play at the next level, and he has superb football knowledge.”

Yost, who joined the Aggies in January 2025, has coached players such as the Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love, the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert, and Heisman Trophy finalist and former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel, among others.

Even before Yost’s time, the Aggies have had some success in quarterback development. Las Cruces was one of 2025 Heisman finalist Diego Pavia’s stops before going on to lead the Vanderbilt Commodores.

“Another thing is that it’s close to home but not too close,” Hatch said. “So I’ll get the college experience but will still be able to come back home fairly often.”

It may seem like it was an easy path for a quarterback of Hatch’s caliber to find his next destination, but in the ever-changing world of collegiate sports, nothing is as simple as it seems.

With transfers and junior college players now racing to open spots once designated for high school seniors, on top of Hatch’s upcoming two-year Mormon mission, the support from the Aggies meant that much more.

“Recruiting is very interesting now. It's much more difficult for high school kids; they’re not just competing with other high school kids,” Hatch said. “Majority of scholarships now are going to JUCO kids or Division II players. One thing I do really appreciate about (Head) Coach Sanchez and Coach Yost is that they were very supportive of my mission.”

New Mexico State is coming off a 4-8 season in 2025, with Hatch set to join the crimson and white in 2028.

“Right now I’m getting ready to go on my two-year mission,” Hatch said. “But after that, it’s gonna be about winning a lot of games in Las Cruces.”