ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – Fans of New Mexico high school football may notice a familiar name when they tune in to Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8. La Cueva High School graduate Connor O’Toole, now a linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to take the field against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
O’Toole, 23, graduated from La Cueva in 2020. During his time with the Bears, he excelled in both football and track and field. He was a two‑time first‑team all‑state selection at wide receiver, posting standout seasons that included 867 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a junior and 683 yards and another eight touchdowns as a senior. He also helped lead La Cueva to a state championship in 2018. In track, he was a state champion in the 300‑meter hurdles and was named the Albuquerque Journal’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2018–2019.
After high school, O’Toole continued his football career at the University of Utah, earning Academic All‑Big 12 honors and becoming the first Utah player since 2010 to block a field goal in back‑to‑back games. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2025 as an undrafted free agent.
O’Toole isn’t the only New Mexico connection on the Seahawks’ roster this season. Bryce Cabeldue, a former standout offensive lineman from Clovis High School, was selected by Seattle in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The 6’6″, 315‑pound lineman played for the Kansas Jayhawks and is just the second player in Clovis High School history to be drafted into the NFL. As of January 2026, Cabeldue remains part of the Seahawks team, contributing to their 2025–2026 NFC Championship run.
La Cueva Assistant Principal Melanie Tapia shared her excitement, saying the school community is “extremely proud of Connor” as he prepares for the biggest game of his career.
