GRANTS, N.M. — A familiar name from Grants High School football is now representing his hometown more than a thousand miles away.
Former Grants Pirate standout Cardenio Chavez is beginning his freshman season with the Bemidji State University Beavers in Bemidji, Minnesota, where he wears No. 46 and is listed as a defensive back. Bemidji State competes at the NCAA Division II level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
For Chavez, the move from Grants to Bemidji is the next step in an athletic career that included success on defense, offense, special teams and the track.
When Bemidji State announced its 2026 recruiting class, Chavez stood out as the program’s only signee from New Mexico. The university highlighted his versatility at Grants High, where he played defensive back and wide receiver and also made an impact as a kick returner. Bemidji credited Chavez with 52 tackles, four interceptions and 18 passes defended during his high school career.
His senior season brought recognition in all three phases of the game. Grants High School named Chavez First Team All-District at defensive back, First Team All-District as a kick returner and Second Team All-District at receiver.
The numbers behind those honors show just how versatile he was.
During the 2025 season, Chavez recorded 36 receptions for 531 yards and seven receiving touchdowns, finishing with 10 total touchdowns. He was also one of New Mexico’s most productive return specialists. MaxPreps credited him with 742 total return yards, the highest total on its New Mexico statewide leaderboard for the season.
His athletic ability extended beyond the football field. Bemidji State’s signing announcement noted that Chavez was a district champion in the high jump and long jump and had previously placed fourth at the New Mexico state meet in the high jump.
Chavez also built a strong résumé away from competition. Bemidji State noted that he earned All-District Academic recognition, received an academic letter and participated in SkillsUSA. He plans to study finance at Bemidji State.
And he is already getting an early taste of college football.
Through Bemidji State’s first three games of the 2026 season, the university’s official statistics showed Chavez had appeared in two games as a true freshman. His name appeared on the participation reports against Michigan Tech and Southwest Minnesota State, giving the former Pirate valuable experience early in his college career.
For the Chavez family, this freshman season carries an additional emotional significance. Cardenio entered this new chapter following the death of his father, Cardenio Francisco Chavez, in December 2025. His family continues to rally around him as he builds a life and football career far from home.
For Grants, his journey is also something the community can follow with pride. A player who once wore the Pirate colors is now wearing Bemidji State green and white while representing Grants, Cibola County and New Mexico at the college level.
The Beavers will host Wayne State College on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. Central at Chet Anderson Stadium in Bemidji.
At only the beginning of his freshman year, Chavez still has much of his college career ahead of him. But going from Grants High School to a college football roster—and already seeing the field—marks an accomplishment worth recognizing back home.
From Pirate Nation to Beaver Football, No. 46 is carrying a piece of Grants, New Mexico with him.