By Art Garcia
Photography by Thanin Viriyaki
The quarterback of the Southlake Carroll football team. There are few, if any, positions in Texas high school sports with more history and cachet.
And in the future, probably a lot more “cash” in that cachet, as “Name, Image and Likeness” (NIL) deals move closer to legalization in the Lone Star State. If passed, Carroll’s starting quarterback, Angelo Renda, would be one of the major beneficiaries of NIL, and he knows it.
“NIL is a great opportunity for players to show what they’re worth and the work they’ve put in,” says Renda. “I personally love NIL. I think it’s great to get your name out there and for companies to acknowledge you.”
Renda doesn’t have an NIL deal. He knows several players in other states that do, and he’s happy for them.
“It’s awesome,” he says. “But at the end of the day, if you’re working hard and you do what you need to do on the field, deals will come, but that doesn’t really cross my mind right now, I’m just focused on winning.”
That’s the ultimate payoff for Renda, who holds the keys to the high-powered Carroll offense. The senior knows how to rev the Dragons’ engine and hit the gas.
“To me, the most important position in all sports is the quarterback position,” Carroll’s coach, Riley Dodge, says. “It’s a lot of responsibility, but Angelo wears it well.”
A leader on the highest-ranked team in the state, Renda is considered one of the top players in talent-rich Texas. With a substantial number of returning Dragon starters joining him, Renda may be the reason Carroll ends a 13-year title drought.
The University of Pittsburgh commit is familiar with the Carroll system inside and out. His knowledge stems from 17 career starts, including all 16 last season, as the Dragons advanced to the state championship game.
Renda racked up huge numbers in 2024. He passed for 3,901 yards and 40 touchdowns last season, along with 667 yards rushing and another nine scores. The Dragons went 15-1.
He is confident the Dragons can once again reign supreme in Texas high school football, and his teammates share that confidence in him.
“I think he’s the best in the country,” senior running back Davis Penn says. “You saw what he put on this plate last year, first-year starter, and I feel you put him anywhere in the country, he’s the starter. He’s such a savvy guy, knows the game well, and not only that, but he’s got all the athletic, tangible stuff in the world, too.”
The intangibles are there, too. After three years in the Carroll program, Dodge counts on Renda to lead and act as an extension of the coaching staff.
“He’s cool, calm and collected,” Dodge says. “I think he is more of a doer. He’s not gonna be super loud all the time, but he understands there are times to hold people accountable and certain times to hold his tongue.”
Renda is already part of the storied Dragon history as the school’s quarterback, a member of a legendary list that includes Dodge, Chase Daniel, Greg McElroy, Quinn Ewers, and Graham Knowles. The only thing left for Renda to do is win a state championship.