North Mesquite High School Football, Class of 1997
Determination defines the story of Christian Rodriguez. Rodriguez moved to Texas from the Dominican Republic at six years old and was determined to excel in athletics and academics. Experiencing a rocky childhood, he moved in with North Mesquite head coach Mark Elam at the end of his sophomore year. The newfound stability allowed Rodriguez to focus on becoming a better athlete and student. His senior year in 1996 saw him ranked 33 in the top 100 players in Texas. He played a role in the Stallions being the #1 ranked team in the country and ended the season named to the All-District, All-Area and All-State teams. Schutt named him to their All-American squad, and Rodriguez found himself playing in the Cal-Tex Shrine All-Star Game. He would graduate in the top 5% of his class at North before enrolling at Texas A&M University on scholarship. Rodriguez won the Big 12 Championship as an Aggie and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, all while playing football. He would finish his career at A&M with over 100 tackles, double digit sacks and an interception return for a touchdown. He was named First Team Academic All Big XII four years in a row and was a defensive captain in 2001. Rodriguez was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts before injury ended his career.
