Lobos position preview: DE Darren Agu giving Lobo defensive line a 'Freaks List' worthy presence

Last summer, Darren Agu had to make do with two trees for practice partners — one to practice his pass rush moves and the other to actually strike.

"People would walk by and look at me like, 'yo, what the heck? He's striking a tree,'" New Mexico's fifth-year defensive end laughed. "Leaves (were) falling down the tree, fruit, bugs. I'm like, 'you gotta get the strikes in somehow.'"

With a full offseason under his belt — one he was denied last summer — Agu believes he's playing at a "higher level" than he was in his first year with UNM.

In his first season with the Lobos, the former Vanderbilt transfer posted 15 total tackles, two sacks and 26 pressures, the third-best mark on the team. Agu, however, had to play catch-up for the entire year after visa issues kept him in his native London over the summer, holding him out of workouts and fall camp.

Before he made it back to Albuquerque in early September, Agu did his best with the equipment he had. He lifted and ran in accordance with the Lobos' offseason conditioning program. He watched the program's season opener against Michigan via FaceTime.

And in a public park, he found those two trees.

One passerby saw the towering 6-foot-6, 256-pound defensive end slamming his hands into the bark and stopped to ask if he was a rugby player.

"My forearms (and) my palms would be swollen, hitting the tree and stuff," Agu said. "But I was getting that work in, though."

This summer, Agu is reaping the benefits of a proper offseason. Off the field, he was named to the "Freaks List," an annual ranking of the freakiest athletes in college football by The Athletic's Bruce Feldman.

The list claims Agu benched 385 pounds and ran a 10-yard split in 1.61 seconds this offseason, a mix of power and speed that seems to be impress everybody but him.

"In the weight room, we do lifts and stuff and there would be times when I'd throw up a number," Agu said, "and (director of athletic performance Caleb Heim) and some of the strength coaches would be like, 'oh s***!' So I'd be like, 'is that crazy or something?'"

On the field? Agu is set to replace All-Mountain West defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby as UNM's starting Jack (boundary end) with a more pronounced presence as a pass rusher than last season.

Already a stout run defender, Agu has worked to become a more effective rusher through film study and walkthroughs.

"In the pass rush aspect, he's doing so much better (at feeling) and seeing what he's getting, and reacting to it," defensive line coach Hebron Fangupo said.

With fifth-year defensive end Brett Karhu currently ineligible, College of San Mateo transfer Albert Tuakalau is expected to start opposite of Agu. The 6-4, 245-pound junior flashed heavily this spring before cementing himself as one of UNM's top three defensive ends in camp.

Memphis transfer Jalen Charles, Copiah-Lincoln (Mississippi) Community College transfer Trenton Rocker and West Mesa graduate Elijah Brody are expected to provide further depth off the edge.

"He brings the Albuquerque grit and toughness," Fangupo said of Brody. "That's what gives him value. He's plenty athletic, he's got his speed, but man, he's a tough kid – if he had a choice, he'll run through your face."

On the interior, UNM will rely on defensive tackles Brian Booker, Jalen McIver and Xavier Slayton, who all logged 200-plus snaps last season. A preseason All-Mountain West selection, Booker said earlier this summer that he's looking to make more plays after leaving "a lot of meat on the table" last season.

Fangupo said he's proud of the 6-3, 325-pound fifth-year senior for his continued growth.

"He's gotten so much better in the mental aspect – being in control of what he can control and executing at a high level, penetrating low, fast and aggressive," he added. "But better yet, he's challenging his brothers to do the same … He's (running and finishing plays) more in practice and when he does that, we're so good, because he knows everything starts with the nose tackle."

Independence (Kansas) Community College transfer A.J. Robinson, sophomore Jake DeVos and Western New Mexico transfer – a La Cueva graduate and the older brother of Arizona State quarterback Cam Dyer – have helped provide depth on the interior.

"With Jalen and (Booker), we got some power out there … (Robinson and DeVos), they bring a different speed and agility to our play," Fangupo said. "And that's what we love about them – they are relentless, they play hard, play fast. But we gotta continue to bring them along."

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.