Each Sunday, NMPreps.com publisher Joshua Grine spotlights one of the top rising names in New Mexico high school athletics in our Sunday 1-on-1 series—featuring exclusive interviews, personal stories, and what’s next for the state’s brightest prep stars. This week, we head to Las Cruces to meet Ruiz Laborin, a Class of 2027 quarterback at Centennial High School, whose combination of size, athleticism, and leadership makes him one of the top players to watch entering the 2025 season.
Ruiz Laborin’s Journey
In the southern desert of New Mexico, where football has become a fall tradition at Centennial High School, there’s a rising star preparing for his breakout. He’s long, athletic, and commands the huddle with the calm of a seasoned upperclassman. But he’s just a junior (class of 2027).
Ruiz Laborin, a Class of 2027 quarterback standing at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, is the next name you’ll want to know out of Las Cruces—and a player quickly climbing the NMPreps radar.
While he lined up at wide receiver as a sophomore, his future at quarterback is beginning to take shape. Paired with size, explosiveness, and a 1090-pound total in the Centennial 1000 LB Club (bench, squat, power clean, and incline), Laborin has both the frame and physicality that separate him from most in his class. Head coach Aaron Ocampo said it best last November: “He just finished a great sophomore year. I’m excited to see what he does in the future.”
“She Inspired It All”
Ruiz wasn’t always in Las Cruces. Born in Silver City, he moved south at the age of three. But wherever the family was, sports were always the bond. From the beginning, it was his great-grandmother—not just his first fan, but his biggest influence—that ignited the passion for the game.
“She was a great role model for me,” Ruiz says. “She always helped me, taught me how to be a better person. Watching games together—especially University of Arizona games—was just a great bonding experience.”
That spark eventually lit a fire. Football became more than just fun—it became a way to grow.
He still remembers one of his first football experiences clearly: “I was on a team called the Crocs,” he laughs. “What’s crazy is that some of my future high school teammates were right there with me.”
From WR to QB: Learning from the Upperclassmen
Laborin wore No. 1 last season, not for show, but for meaning. “A lot of people I look up to wore it,” he says. “It reminds me of why I play and who I want to represent.”
Though he played wide receiver last year, quarterback has always been his natural position—and his football IQ and leadership have developed rapidly under the guidance of the players ahead of him.
“A lot of the older guys taught me how to get better. One of the best things a senior told me was to never dwell on the last play. If I messed up, they’d say, ‘Next play.’ That stuck with me.”
The defining moment of his young career? Easy. “Throwing a touchdown to Jordan Lucas, who I’ve grown up with. That meant everything.”
Routines, Sacrifice, and the Rise Ahead
Laborin takes preparation seriously. Between daily lifts, film sessions, and practice, his days are full—and he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I like to watch film before I leave for the field. I don’t usually eat much before games. I just get into the zone,” he says. “I listen to soothing music to stay calm, and right before kickoff, I bump ‘EA’ by 21 Savage.”
He keeps his recovery consistent too—often in the training room or balancing time between basketball and track when not on the gridiron.
When asked about his toughest challenge so far, he’s honest: “Learning to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Football taught me to adapt—fast. It made me grow up.”
His favorite quote? A simple mantra that guides how he plays and lives:
“Without sacrifice, there is no victory.”
What’s Next for Laborin?
With two years of high school left, Laborin has already proven himself as a top underclassman to watch. Expect to see his name on the NMPreps Early Top 50 Player Rankings for the 2025 season.
But Ruiz isn’t chasing rankings. He’s chasing something bigger.
“I want to have a great season and do something that’s never been done at Centennial before,” he says. “We’re working to be a state championship team—and I want to lead us there.”
He hopes that when his career at Centennial is over, people say he was more than just a talented athlete.
“I hope they say I was a good leader. That I did the right thing. That I gave back—to the fans, to the past Hawks, to everyone who believed in me.”
The future is wide open for Ruiz Laborin—and if his growth over the last year is any indication, New Mexico might be witnessing the rise of one of its next great quarterbacks.
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