Cibola star Aden Chavez is New Mexico’s hidden gem QB recruit
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (BVM) — The numbers don’t lie. Aden Chavez is the clear-cut best high school quarterback in New Mexico.
Only a junior, the 6-foot-5 signal-caller is already Cibola’s all-time leading passer, having thrown for 5,090 yards and 50 touchdowns in 19 varsity games. This past season he led the state with 3,075 passing yards and 32 passing TDs while also adding a pair of rushing TDs for the 6-6 Cougars, who reached the second round of the Class 6A playoffs. His 279.5 passing yards per game ranked 28th in the nation among junior QBs.
But even with all of the impressive stats, Chavez has yet to receive a Division I offer. That’s likely only because he plays in a state where it’s exceedingly difficult to gain exposure.
“I think you get put behind a little bit of a barricade until you get that national attention,” Chavez said. “It’s more like you have to get that UNM (University of New Mexico) offer first or something like that because other states are like, ‘Oh, we don’t really think New Mexico is that big of a football state’ and so once UNM gives you that offer, other states are like, ‘OK, this kid’s for real.’”
It’s probably only a matter of time before UNM becomes one of the first D-I programs to extend an offer as Chavez has been in close contact with the Lobos, but it’s been evident for quite a while that the Cougars’ QB is “for real.” In 2019, Chavez broke the state record for most passing yards and touchdowns by a freshman in their first game and also set the mark for most passing yards and touchdowns in a game by any varsity starter in New Mexico high school history when he threw for 428 yards and six TDs in a 40-35 Cibola victory over Sandia.
While continuing to improve as a player on the field since his freshman year, Chavez has also been excelling as a student in the classroom. He carries a 4.25 GPA while taking Advanced-Placement Physics, US History, Calculus, and Honor English. The son of a teacher, Chavez has always taken academics seriously, and the quality of education he’ll receive in college will be an important factor when deciding where to go. It’s also always been one of Chavez’s dreams to attend an Ivy League university, and he’s been in talks with Columbia, Dartmouth and Yale.
“As a kid, I always wanted to go to the Ivy League because of what they offer,” Chavez said. “I honestly want to go to a school that offers great education because I’ve always had that push from my parents to get a good education. … Even if I’m a big name or someone that gets a full-ride offer, I still think education is more important than a lot of things because you can always lean back on it.”
With his impressive combination of talent and intelligence, Chavez is bound to make a college football program look smart if they’re fortunate enough to sign the hidden gem QB, who seems to have all the tools needed to succeed at the next level both on and off the field. And for the colleges that are willing to take notice, Chavez is ready to prove that he can compete with the best, no matter what state he’s competing in while making his home state proud in the process.
“I think it drives everybody here to work a little bit harder because there’s always that overhanging shadow of, ‘You’re in New Mexico,’” Chavez said. “I think everybody has that motivation to make it out. I’ve always wanted to be that kid that did it for his school and made it out and just be that kid that can represent New Mexico.”
