Big Name, Bigger Frame: Meet Enormous 2021 DE Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge

Sooners one of many FBS programs after four-star Portland behemoth

Most high schoolers who decide to try out for the football team for the first time don’t immediately become nationally prominent recruits.

Then again, most high schoolers aren’t 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds like Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge of Portland, OR.

The Jefferson High rising senior had long been regarded as an elite college basketball prospect, but few could have imagined that a decision to take his talents to the gridiron could have so drastically impacted Rawlins-Kibonge’s future.

He’d never played a down of football in his life before the fall of 2019. But to say he took to the sport like a fish to water is an understatement of epic proportions. Rawlins-Kibonge quickly rocketed into national recruiting rankings, utilizing his enormous frame and natural athleticism to become a force at defensive end.

Today, Rawlins-Kibonge is regarded as a three-star prospect by Rivals and a four-star by 247Sports. 247 ranks him as the No. 2 prospect in the state of Oregon, just ahead of his teammate and good friend Damir Collins. He’s already earned offers from a bevy of top-flight football programs, including USC, Miami, Tennessee… and Oklahoma.

How on earth is this astronomical rise to fame even possible?

“I’m massive, I’m long, I’ve got a big wingspan,” Rawlins-Kibonge said. “I think it’s helped me a lot in development, those physical attributes. It’s been a blessing, and I’ve worked as hard as I can to make sure I maximize those skills.”

Rawlins-Kibonge’s skills on the hardwood became quite evident early in his prep career, and he actually committed to Washington State last summer to play basketball. However, his lone season of football radically shifted his perspective, and he says that a collegiate hoops career is no longer the priority.

“My main focus is football, but I’d love to do both [sports],” Rawlins-Kibonge mused. “I want to be someone that did stuff that not a lot of people could do. I have a 4.0. My goal is to be valedictorian of my class. I want to get a doctorate, but I also want to play in the NFL. I want to do all these things; I just want to be the best me that I can be.”

With that in mind, Rawlins-Kibonge says that he’s actively pursuing the opportunity to play two sports in college. It’s something that he discusses with every college coach he talks to.

“Pretty much every [school] I’ve talked to so far has said I can do both,” he said. “I’ve talked to a lot of coaches. It just comes down to, am I willing to put in the work?”

New Oklahoma outside linebackers coach Jamar Cain has had his eye on Rawlins-Kibonge for quite a while. In fact, Cain’s bond with the Portland behemoth began at Arizona State.

“For Oklahoma, a lot of it is relationships,” Rawlins-Kibonge acknowledged. “Jamar was at ASU, and he came and recruited me for ASU. And then when he went to Oklahoma, he was like, ‘Hey man, I want to bring you with me.’ My relationship with Jamar is really good. It’s really good to have that type of coach and that type of person around.”

Now that Cain has settled in and marked his territory in Norman, Rawlins-Kibonge is thrilled with the possibility of joining him at a powerhouse school like Oklahoma.

“That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “They’re a top-four school almost every year. They’re going to compete for national championships. You can see by who they produce and what they’ve done that they know what they’re doing.”

Rawlins-Kibonge grew up a Miami fan, but his connection with Cain may be enough to tip the scales and bring him home to Norman. Indeed, the towering lineman says that he values relationships beyond the confines of sports.

“I really pride myself on building relationships and meeting new people, so if I can meet new people from all over the country and build relationships that’ll last me a lifetime, that’s what I’ll do,” Rawlins-Kibonge said.

But the question ever lingers: will he do it in the crimson and cream?

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