MONTREAL – A Quebec running back with Rutgers University, in the powerful Big Ten division, is a great – or rather – immense feat. But nothing seems too daunting for Antwan Raymond.
Sport allows us to witness unforgettable performances. In two decades at RDS, I have been more than fortunate in this regard. If I told you that one of the most memorable did not occur on an NFL, NHL or CFL field, but in a game at Dalbé-Viau high school.
In November 2022, in pouring rain, I was blown away by a magical performance by Raymond. In the semi-final, against Collège Bourget, he “pounded” on the bodies of his opponents while everyone expected running games due to the torrential rain.
An evening of 5 touchdowns and 297 yards on 28 carries (average of 10.6 yards per carry). Raymond scored ALL of his team’s 35 points in a 35-28 win.
As my laundry struggled to dry on the ride home, I could only think of the bright future that awaited it.
The rest came quickly. Thanks to a breakout season in 2023 at Clearwater Academy in Florida, he received approximately 30 offers from coveted NCAA institutions including Auburn, Miami, Texas A&M and Syracuse.
“I was heading into my second year (at Clearwater), but the football program shut down. I really didn’t know what was going to happen. I spoke with my mother and Rutgers presented me with a great opportunity to join them this year. I felt like it was the best thing for me because I was mentally and physically ready,” explained the five-foot-eleven, 202-pound athlete.
When he ruled the roost in Quebec, Raymond felt he had the talent to reach the NCAA.
“100%. I always believed in myself. But it would be a crime to say that I succeeded on my own. It’s also thanks to my coaches and my teammates. My family was still there, I had all the support,” Raymond reacted in an interview with Didier Orméjuste and the author of these lines.
When he talks about his family, he refers to his mother, his sister and his grandmother. Because Raymond got his resilience and determination from the women around him.
“Everything I do: all this work in the field and all the decisions I make, I always think of my mother, my grandmother and my sister,” targeted the one who grew up in a single-parent family.
“Wow, my mom is the hardest working person I know. Since I was little, she has worked two jobs to support me and my sister. I know the work she put in every day so that we could eat and all the sacrifices made,” Raymond added gratefully.
This dedication to football allowed Raymond to shine much faster than the plan anticipated. An injury to a teammate allowed him to get carries in the first two games of the 2024 season. We remind you that he was only supposed to make the university jump in 2025.
But since Raymond likes to do things big, he found a way to score two touchdowns and a haul of 126 yards in 23 carries (average of 5.5 yards per carry).
When he scored his first NCAA touchdown, Raymond savored the moment while thinking of his loved ones. He threw a 514 at the camera in reference to the Montreal regional code.
“I was very proud, I come from Montreal and I have great pride in that. I never want to forget where I came from. Everyone who was there for me during my journey, these people will be my family for the rest of my life, no matter what path I take,” Raymond said.
After four matches, his team has not yet suffered defeat. Rutgers could even have its best season since 2014 (8-5) in this tough division which has just added Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA to its ranks.
A promising portrait as, in the coming years, Raymond will become an even more important knight within the Scarlet Knights.
“My coaches do a really good job of preparing me every week. They know that I am young and that I have a lot to learn. In the end, my opponents are taller, bigger and faster, but it’s still football. I know what I am capable of doing with the ball and that I am good at football,” explained the one who wears number 21 with Rutgers.
The team led by Greg Schiano led several players to shine in the NFL including twins Devin and Jason McCourty as well as running backs Ray Rice and Isiah Pacheco.
Raymond believes he is able to add his name to the list, especially seeing Quebecers like Benjamin St-Juste and Matthew Bergeron establishing themselves there.
“Seeing Canadians in the NFL is a great inspiration. It shows me that I can go there,” confided the man who loves spying on the arsenal of Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey.
That would make his journey even more fascinating. At Rutgers, he played in front of more than 40,000 spectators. In the NFL, his talent would be watched by huge crowds. But Raymond’s motivation goes deeper than the size of the audience. He wants to honor his family and his comrades at Dalbé-Viau who follow his rise with passion.
