Rafael Hidalgo, a former University of New Mexico wide receiver from 2016 to 2018, died on Sunday at the age of 26.
Hidalgo, who played quarterback at Hudson Valley Junior College in Troy, New York, went from walk-on at UNM to earning a scholarship in 2018. He was part of the Lobos’ 2016 New Mexico Bowl winning team.
Hidalgo, a Brooklyn native, was popular with his teammates. He was known as “Ralph” and served as the team barber.
He played football for the Badalona Dracs in Spain, and most recently played for the Pioneros de Querétaro in Mexico.