By Jordyn J. Bennett
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Penn. — Not even in the NFL are first year starting quarterbacks
always prepared for the pressure that comes with leading an entire team to battle every
weekend. That feeling for a high school junior surpasses that astronomically as that person is
still just a kid.
Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square) starting quarterback Narome Rayborn is still just
a kid.
“I would say I am on the younger side, but I think the energy and leadership I can bring
to the team, I think it makes people think of me not as the young starting quarterback… but they
can see me as a leader,” Rayborn said.
Giddy and innocent in nature, the Class of 2024 dual-threat QB still gets surprised at
times when he walks off the field even though he appears as if he has been leading varsity
programs for years.
“Going into the season, I had confidence in myself — like I know what I’m capable of,” he
said. “Through these games, I’ve set that expectation to myself that I can play at a high level and
I know I can do that, but I think the past three games I’ve surprised myself.”
While confidence isn’t what the Churchmen’s leader lacks, he admits that his first three
games of his junior campaign has exceeded his expectations.
At 6’1” and 175 pounds, Rayborn doesn’t need a lot to make things happen on the field.
He’s completed 29-40 passes (72.5%) for 553 yards and 8 touchdowns that are accompanied by
227 yards on the ground and 4 touchdowns, where he’s averaging 10.3 yards per carry. He earned
a lot of this last Friday against The Hill School (Pottstown).
Steering Episcopal through an easy 42-7 victory, Rayborn picked up nearly half of his
season’s total rushing yard, earning 105 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries (10.5 ypc) —
no surprise for someone who clocked a 4.57 40-yard dash at Notre Dame’s camp over the
summer. He matched his carries with the same amount of completions, converting 10-15 passes
(66.7%) for 188 yards and two touchdowns.
His performance was so spectacular, you’d forget that he threw his first interception of
the year. That pick and a slow first half start would give Rayborn his “grow up” moment, igniting
the fire that would make the young QB stop playing games and go back to handling business.
“Right before (the second half) kickoff, I got everyone together and was like, ‘This is
what’s gonna happen: we’re gonna kick the ball to them, our defense is going to go three and
out, and everytime we get the ball, we’re gonna score,’ and that ended up happening,” he
recalled.
“It was pretty awesome to see us rally together as a team. Obviously I had individual
success, but I think as a team we’re really coming together and the more that we play together,
the better we’re going to get.”
As long as he’s there, the Churchmen are only going to go forward. Just cracking the
surface in his junior season, Rayborn is pure raw potential with so much more to learn, but
already showing that he is amongst the elite in southeastern Pennsylvania.
That’s not enough for him.
Not shy about his aspirations, by the end of the year, Rayborn will be a household name
amongst the Inter-AC, Delaware County and maybe even the whole state; however, that’s just a
blip in his journey, as he believes that one day the whole country will know him and see him
playing on Sundays.
“I think the way that I’ve been playing and if I can sustain that high-level of play, I think
I can definitely achieve that goal,” Rayborn said. “I have seven more games this season; I have a
whole offseason to work on myself and my body and my football IQ… Then, I have all of next
season.”
“I think ultimately when I put together my film at the end of this year, I want to have —
not want, I expect to have multiple Division I offers. I wouldn’t say that’s me being cocky, I just
expect a lot out of myself.”
Rank the top 10 teams in the Philly area through 4 weeks!
- Chester (4-0)
- Coatesville (4-0)
- Episcopal Academy (3-0)
- Garnet Valley (4-0)
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