Sneakers to Cleats: Steverson's return to football comes at right time for Storm

RIO RANCHO — Darius Steverson is one of the bigger names in New Mexico high school basketball. He is the third-ranked player in the Class of 2028 according to prephoops.com, and has already been receiving attention from colleges as a sophomore.

So, with basketball season now under two months away, how is the talented guard preparing?

By catching touchdowns.

Last Friday, Steverson hauled in three catches for 57 yards and two scores in Cleveland’s 49-3 victory over Farmington.

“I was really excited when I got those two touchdowns,” Steverson said. “Coming back from not playing for a while, that was my first real game since seventh grade. So it was good getting those two touchdowns. My mom was there to see it; it was very exciting.”

Yes, you heard that right. The Storm’s leading receiver against the Scorpions had not played football in a couple of years up until his breakout game.

“I stopped playing for a while, and then two or three weeks ago, I told the coaches I wanted to play football, and they put me on the team right away,” Steverson said. “They got me to understand all the routes, and I got on the field real quick.”

Any rust Steverson may have had at the receiver position has quickly gone away, as the Storm staff has been impressed with the sophomore’s route running (which he contributes to cutting and running plays in basketball) and his quick learning.

But despite the hot start, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing in Steverson’s return to the field.

“Understanding the plays (can be hard); we have a lot of plays, I just gotta remember all of them, and then also waking up early because we have practice every day. We have to be at the field every day at six o’clock.”

Steverson’s return to football may be coming at the perfect time for Cleveland. It was a rough beginning of September for the Storm, falling to Las Cruces at home and then losing star receiver and fellow basketball talent Evan Nanez to injury against Pebble Hills the following week.

Now in district play, a boost to the offense may be just what the doctor ordered for the reigning state champions.

“It’s a lot; it can be stressful, but the coaches help me out a lot to understand what I have to do, and my role on the team,” Steverson said. “And then I always have Evan (Nanez) on the sideline helping me through all the plays and talking me through it.”

In an era where youth athletes focus on one sport year-round, Steverson’s return to football isn’t just about touchdowns and trophies but also rekindling past friendships out on the gridiron.

“I miss playing with them, because all my childhood friends go to Cleveland,” Steverson said. “So I’ve missed playing with all of them.”

Once football season wraps up, Steverson is looking to stay in Cleveland to play for the Storm basketball team. In his freshman year, Darius played for ABC Prep with his brother Daniel, but now in 2025, the basketball phenom will look to bring his hoop career back to Rio Rancho.

No matter what happens this basketball season, Steverson is now focused on one thing: another state title for Storm football.

“Getting more touchdowns and winning as a team,” Steverson said. “Building my bonds and team chemistry with the team, and of course, going for that trophy.”