Nati Valdez
Inducted 2015
Hometown: Mission
High School: Mission High School
College: Brigham Young University
Best Known for: Football
Valdez was one of the most outstanding wide receivers the Rio Grande Valley has ever seen. He played at Mission High from 1986-88, become a starter since the fifth game of his sophomore year. In his senior season, Mission won its first district championship in 20 years,
Valdez holds three Valley receiving records. His 104 receptions during his junior was a state record at the time and remains a Valley’s record. Valdez finished with a three-year total of 252 catches, which ranks fifth all-time in Texas. At the time, it was a national record. His 3,726 receiving yards is still a Valley record, and he scored 37 touchdowns in his career as an Eagle. During his senior year, Mission played only eight regular season games, yet Valdez caught 70 passes for 987 yards despite playing hurt most of the year. He was double-teamed by many teams, who knew they had to stop him, although few could. Valdez ran his routes well and had good communication with his quarterbacks. Opposing coaches found it difficult to defend him.
Valdez was chosen to the Class 5A All-State team, a first-team selection to the Valley’s All-Millennium team, and was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Aside from lettering three times in football, he was also a three-year letterman in baseball, twice in basketball and once in track.
He played collegiately at Brigham Young University, where had three touchdown catches in his sophomore and junior seasons.