Adrian Contreras, a senior at Seguin High School and an outstanding defensive lineman on the football team, got a big surprise last week.
Former Dallas Cowboy Danny McCray and Cowboys mascot Rowdy showed up at Seguin last week to let Contreras know that he has been selected as the Dallas Cowboys’ nominee for the NFL Latino Youth Honors award. It is a national recognition program celebrating Latino student-athletes who excel in academics, athletics, and leadership.
The program, a collaboration between the NFL and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, invites each of the 32 NFL teams to nominate one male and one female high school senior. From those 64 nominees, eight finalists will be selected. Finalists will receive college scholarships and attend Super Bowl LX Week in San Francisco, where they’ll participate in mentorship and career development events.
“It’s the best thing to have coaches always believing in me and never losing faith in me,” Contreras said. “I never knew I would be in this position.”
Two national winners – one male and one female – will each receive $25,000 scholarships. The remaining six finalists will be awarded $5,000 grants to support their college education.
“Adrian is one of those guys who, since his freshman year in our program, came in and embodied what it is to be a teammate and what it is to be a student-athlete,” Seguin head football coach Joe Gordon said. “It was easy to find exactly why Adrian could and should be a nominee for such a special and prestigious award.”
Finalists will also be invited to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s National Youth Awards ceremony in 2026, further recognizing their achievements and potential.
“It would mean the world for him to get a scholarship,” Contreras’ mother Stephanie Ferdinand said. “It’s such an honor to get recognized for all his hard work. It’s been a journey.”
Congratulations to Contreras on this outstanding achievement!