Diego De La Cruz brings size, promise, and blue-collar upside to UTEP’s offensive line
De La Cruz is a 6-4, 300-pound redshirt freshman lineman for UTEP in the 2026 season, with a background that points to real growth upside and a reputation for work ethic, leadership, and intensity. He helped power St. Joseph Academy to a 10-2 season and a playoff run, and local coverage described him as charismatic and relentless in the offseason. He looks like a developmental fit for a program that values physicality and grind; the ceiling is intriguing, but he’s still in the early stages of his college-career arc.
