City Series: Top 5 Wide Receivers In Albuquerque Metro Region

We begin Phase 3 of our ‘City Series’ by taking a look at the top wide receivers in the Albuquerque Metro Area (includes Rio Rancho, Los Lunas and Belen) entering the 2022 season: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="208744" first="Exodus" last="Ayers"], La Cueva</strong>: How talented is Ayers on the gridiron? His high school football career consists of exactly 8 games – he missed four games last season because of an injury - but he already holds offers from the University of New Mexico and Western New Mexico. Also renowned for his basketball skills, Ayers displayed outrageous athleticism last fall for the Bears, routinely running past defenders or outleaping them for passes. The main thing Ayers needs right now is more film. By December, he could have several more Division I schools pursuing him. Amassed 41 receptions for 901 yards and 15 TD in 2021. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12694945/6151e6df19a5200f7047cbfc">HUDL</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137928" first="Kellan" last="Gehres"], Albuquerque Academy</strong>: Gehres has been playing varsity since he was a freshman in 2019 and has already collected 111 receptions for 1,856 yards and 19 TD in his career. His 67 receptions in 2021 were second most in the state behind only Cibola WR [player_tooltip player_id="134963" first="Nathan" last="Lopez"], while his 1,111 receiving yards were third highest. He’ll join Chargers QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137884" first="A.J." last="Rivera"]</strong> and RB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138056" first="Cole" last="Conway"]</strong> to form one of the most dynamic offensive trios in the state in 2022. Albuquerque Academy is a legitimate Class 4A title contender. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12844385/619acb683453c60bf4d7b927">HUDL</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="139523" first="Nic" last="Trujillo"], Cleveland</strong>: Perhaps underrated, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Trujillo was a key cog in Cleveland’s undefeated Class 6A championship run in 2021, catching 51 passes for 906 yards and 10 TD. With QBs <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="139521" first="Evan" last="Wysong"]</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="275488" first="Elijah" last="Brody"]</strong> returning and two talented running backs in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138204" first="Josh" last="Perry"] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="274977" first="Andres" last="Aguirre"]</strong>, the Cleveland offense promises to be just as prolific in 2022 as they were last fall. Trujillo was the Storm’s leading receiver by a wide margin in 2021 and could be again. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13553318/61aad595345274056ce54ae4">HUDL</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138047" first="Chris" last="Johnson"], West Mesa</strong>: Even though West Mesa had a disappointing season in 2021 (3-6 record), Johnson showed he possesses some of the softest hands in Albuquerque. He did the same when we watched him practice with the New Mexico Legacy 7-on-7 team in January and February. One of the top priorities for new West Mesa coach Landrick Brody in 2022 is figuring out different ways to get Johnson the ball in his hands. Johnson had 39 receptions for 732 yards and 5 TD last season. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12720881/619163ff66562e08bcf9b8c2">HUDL</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="269529" first="Branden" last="Castillo"], Cibola</strong>: Castillo was overshadowed last season by [player_tooltip player_id="134963" first="Nathan" last="Lopez"], who led the state in receptions. But he accumulated some impressive numbers of his own with 57 receptions for 868 yards and 6 TD. This year, he should ascend to the No. 1 WR role for the Cougars and he gets to catch passes from the state’s top quarterback – <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137861" first="Aden" last="Chavez"]</strong>. Castillo, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="274792" first="Marcus" last="Wilson"]</strong> (three D1 hoop offers) and 6-foot-5 tight end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137935" first="Brayden" last="Mummert"]</strong> will form as good of a pass catching trio as you will find anywhere in New Mexico. With Chavez calling signals and throwing from the pocket, Cibola’s passing attack will be scary good. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12879535/618f9284ff0210089c7d6bdc">HUDL</a> <strong>Honorable Mention</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id="270034" first="Michael" last="Wood"] (Rio Rancho);; [player_tooltip player_id="138099" first="Niko" last="Torres"] (Los Lunas); [player_tooltip player_id="208791" first="Jahvon" last="McChriston"] (Bernallilo); [player_tooltip player_id="208824" first="Chris" last="Coash"] (St. Pius X); [player_tooltip player_id="270020" first="Ian" last="Sanchez"] (La Cueva); [player_tooltip player_id="275074" first="Bishop" last="Ortega"] (Cleveland); [player_tooltip player_id="274790" first="Jackson" last="Hix"] (La Cueva); [player_tooltip player_id="274705" first="Marquise" last="Renfro"] (Atrisco Heritage); [player_tooltip player_id="274718" first="Cruz" last="Markham"] (La Cueva); [player_tooltip player_id="275436" first="Josiah" last="Mitchell"] (Eldorado); [player_tooltip player_id="274796" first="Fabian" last="Trujillo"] (Los Lunas); [player_tooltip player_id="274989" first="Juelz" last="Hartzog"] (Volcano Vista); [player_tooltip player_id="274792" first="Marcus" last="Wilson"] (Cibola). https://twitter.com/ExodusAyers_/status/1508140961502801922 https://twitter.com/CoachGehres/status/1508551757521055744 https://twitter.com/trujillo_nic/status/1470609764568600579 https://twitter.com/chris_2_shifty/status/1457814851409960960 https://twitter.com/cibolafootball/status/1455943150535544838 &nbsp; &nbsp;