It was announced on Monday that Jaden Hullaby, a former football player for the universities of Texas and New Mexico, had passed away at the age of 21. On Sunday, a post by a family member on social media revealed that Hullaby had gone missing since Friday and his family had been unable to locate him. No official statement has been made about the cause of his death. His younger brother Landon, a defensive back at Texas Tech, posted a series of photos on Twitter with the caption “Forever living through you big brudda. I love you so much and I got you and the family forever I swear get your rest King.”
Hullaby had been recruited by Texas in 2020 as a linebacker, but only played in two games before redshirting the 2021 season and transferring to New Mexico where he was both a running back and tight end.
In a statement, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said “It’s such devastating and tragic news to hear of Jaden’s passing. He was a great person and someone we all enjoyed being around, coaching and spending time with. All of our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates, and we want to send our deepest condolences to them in such a difficult time.” New Mexico also released a statement saying “The Lobo family is saddened to learn of the passing of former RB/TE Jaden Hullaby. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jaden’s family and all who knew him.”
Hullaby had played in eight games for New Mexico, starting one, and had caught two passes for 44 yards and ran for 59 yards on 13 carries. After the 2022 season, he had entered the transfer portal. He had attended Mansfield Timberview High School and Bishop Dunne in his junior year of high school, where he was part of a state championship team.