ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico head coach Mike Locksley endured his share of turmoil off the field last season. It didn't carry over to the recruiting trail.

The Lobos landed a standout player in defensive tackle Calvin Smith of Hialeah, Fla., who selected New Mexico over Florida State, Tennessee and national champion Alabama. One recruiting service listed Smith as the nation's 20th best player at his position.

"Calvin is, I guess you would say, the headliner of this class," Locksley said Wednesday.

It's a huge catch for New Mexico, which went 1-11 in Locksley's first season last fall.

Adding to the intrigue, the 6-foot-4, 265-pound Smith announced his decision during a live national cable television broadcast on ESPNU.

Smith told the network he has a good relationship with Locksley and is eager to play under defensive line coach Rubin Carter, a former Denver Broncos star defensive tackle.

"I just go where my heart tells me to go," Smith told ESPNU. "I'm not listening to what people say. I go where I feel comfortable."

Locksley survived a tumultuous first year as a head coach. He made national news for an altercation with former receivers coach J.B. Gerald, which led to a 10-day suspension, and settled a harassment lawsuit filed by a former administrative assistant.

Locksley acknowledged he and his assistants were questioned about off-field events while recruiting but said it always was addressed directly and honestly.

"Then our players did a tremendous job of hosting recruits when they came on campus," Locksley said. "That speaks volumes about the direction of our program. Our players believe in everything we're doing and they sold that to these recruits."

Locksley was hailed as a top recruiter when New Mexico hired him in December 2008, and he backed it up by landing Smith, who initially had committed to Tennessee but lost interest after former coach Lane Kiffin bolted for USC.

Locksley said he has known Smith's father "for quite some time." And Locksley credited Carter, not only for successfully recruiting Smith but for making enough progress in one season as New Mexico's defensive line coach to show he can groom players.

"A lot of kids want to go where they feel they're going to be developed," Locksley said. "Calvin already has the prototype size and speed you want. You put that with coach Carter developing him, it's a win-win situation."

Locksley said landing Smith proves good players will come to New Mexico, provided they're willing to make a campus visit to see the facilities and academic offerings.

The turning point came during a visit to the family's home.

Locksley said he asked Smith how he planned to justify his choice "to all the naysayers and all the negative people who say, 'Why New Mexico?' "

"He said 'coach, I'm a leader, not a follower,' " Locksley recalled. "Those are the types of kids you're going to win with. It speaks volumes about the kid, his family and the way he was brought up."

Last month, Locksley brought in Ohio State transfer Lamaar Thomas (5-11, 180), a junior receiver, and Omar Castillo (6-4, 275), a junior offensive lineman who played high school football at Roswell Goddard and transferred from Texas Tech.

Both have enrolled at New Mexico but won't be eligible until 2011.

Next fall, the Lobos also gain two defensive linemen — sophomores Reggie Ellis and Ugo Uzodinma.

Both from Washington, D.C., they signed out of high school with Illinois, where Locksley was offensive coordinator, then transferred after Locksley became New Mexico's head coach.




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