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Meet New Mexico's Top Wideout: Scored 5 TDs; Holds Football, Basketball D1 Offers

Currently second in receiving yards across the country, it is clear that Evan Nanez will be headed to the college level. But for which sport?
Dan Allison|
Class of 2028's Evan Nanez, who holds D1 offers for football and basketball, poses with University of New Mexico football head coach Jason Eck.
Class of 2028's Evan Nanez, who holds D1 offers for football and basketball, poses with University of New Mexico football head coach Jason Eck. | Courtesy Photo

From the gridiron to the hardwood, Cleveland athlete Evan Nanez has become quite the show in New Mexico high school athletics.

Rio Rancho’s Cleveland High School football team sits at 4-0, looking like the hands-down favorite in the 6A Class.

With Nanez and the offense leading the charge, is the sky the limit for the New Mexico product?

Evan Nanez: A Clear WR1

Receiving college offers for football and basketball, Nanez is in the midst of a breakout junior season, which is saying something since the wide receiver recorded 996 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2025.

Through four games, Nanez is on pace to smash those marks, sporting 708 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on just 26 catches.

In Cleveland’s district opener versus Farmington, Nanez tallied five touchdowns on six catches for 197 yards. His average yards per catch was a whopping 32.8, which is actually a step down from a 38-yard average per catch in the Storms’ big win over Texas’s Amarillo High.

His 708 receiving yards are good for second-best in the nation, according to MaxPreps.

Nanez had the pleasure of being thrown to by New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year, Jordan Hatch, in 2025. Now, with sophomore Michael Denison taking over the reins, he hasn’t skipped a beat.

The Road to Division One?

Just as defensive backs have been attempting to track Nanez down, the chase for the top receiver is beginning in the recruiting world.

Nanez entered the fall with offers from the University of New Mexico to play football, while sporting offers on the basketball court from New Mexico State, Southern Utah and Northern New Mexico College.

But since the season began, the interest has blossomed rapidly. Nanez has received visit invitations and interest from football programs such as Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Army, Oregon State, Dartmouth, UTEP, Miami-Ohio and NMSU.

Nanez toured USC and UCLA over the summer as well. He made his first visit appearances at Texas Tech and the University of New Mexico so far this college season.

Will it be Football or Basketball?

While the gridiron appears to be Nanez’s domain, a career in basketball still awaits the Class of 2028 talent this winter.

Nanez has been playing high school basketball with ABC Prep, a prep academy that is one of the best basketball programs in the Southwest.

However, he may make the move to traditional high school basketball this season. Nanez told the Albuquerque Journal that he will “probably” play for the Storm in 2026-2027.

This bigger question remains: how does basketball impact Nanez’s football future? Or vice versa? Could New Mexico be on the brink of producing a Division I multi-sport athlete?

Whatever the star receiver decides, it is clear that Nanez’s athletic journey is just getting started.

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Dan Allison
DAN ALLISON

Dan Allison is a recent graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, graduating Cum Laude in Sports Journalism. He currently works for the Rio Rancho Observer and the Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico and has covered high school sports in both New Mexico and Arizona. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2026.

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