#96

Corey Hightower

Senior cornerback for New Mexico. 2021: 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, 36 tackles.

CB · New Mexico · Sr. · #96

5′11″ · 190 lb · Huntsville, TX

CFB Index 30 · #217 of 321 cornersLow confidenceNew Mexico 2021 alumnus

Recruiting

3★

CB recruit

No. 1974 nationally · Signed with New Mexico

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

4 cornerback for New Mexico. 2021: 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, 36 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to New Mexico in 2016.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Three seasons at New Mexico, 40 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

He barely played early on. Then he did not come off the field.

2016

Signed with New Mexico3-star out of Huntsville

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#1974 national

CFB

College

New Mexico

2019–2021

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2019–2021

2 coaches

2019

Bob Davie

New Mexico

2020–2021

Danny Gonzales

New Mexico

era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Bob Davie → Danny Gonzales. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

2021 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2019New Mexico2-10HC: Bob Davie · Run-leaning

2020New Mexico2-5HC: Danny Gonzales · Run-leaning

2021New Mexico3-9HC: Danny Gonzales · Run-heavy, slow tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

30Below cohort / limited sample #217 of 321?

Low confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Passes defended#481 / 2743 · 78th pct

Solo tackles#873 / 2743 · 67th pct

Tackles#1084 / 2743 · 60th pct

Tackles for loss#1640 / 2743 · 37th pct

1.5

Interceptions#320 / 824 · 31st pct

QB hurries#1413 / 2743 · 24th pct

Sacks#1435 / 2743 · 24th pct

0.0

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2021 season · 11 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home6g	4.0	0.2	0.0	0.2
Road5g	2.4	0.1	0.0	0.4

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-76g	3.7	0.2	0.0	0.2
Weeks 8+5g	2.8	0.0	0.0	0.4

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Jason Eck

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2021

Rotational

Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

30 · #217 of 321 corners

Three-star recruit. Now #217 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2021	New Mexico	36	24	1.5	3	1	--
2020	New Mexico	2	1	0.0	--	--	--
2019	New Mexico	2	2	0.0	--	--	--
Career		40	27	1.5	3	1	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2021

W 27–17

vs Houston Christian

3 TOT · 2 SOLO

With A. Rodriguez — 42 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 51 LONG · T. Wilson — 178 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 38.2 · 49 rush yds (9 car)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2021 season · 11 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	W 27-17vs Houston Christian	3	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 2	W 34-25vs New Mexico State	3	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 3	L 0-34@ Texas A&M	2	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 5	L 10-38vs Air Force	7	3	0.0	—	0	Season-high 7 tackles
Wk 6	L 7-31@ San Diego State	1	0	0.5	—	1
Wk 7	L 7-36vs Colorado State	6	4	1.0	—	0
Wk 8	W 14-3@ Wyoming	2	2	0.0	1	1
Wk 10	L 17-31vs UNLV	3	3	0.0	—	1
Wk 11	L 7-34@ Fresno State	3	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	L 0-37@ Boise State	4	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 13	L 10-35vs Utah State	2	2	0.0	—	0
Total		36	24	1.5	1	3

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

Corey Hightower

2016

2021 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Rotational

Career stats

Signature game

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Cover Corner

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