RIO LINDA—It didn’t take long for former Rio Linda High School phenom Cam Skattebo to prove he belongs on the biggest stage. In his very first live action with the New York Giants, the rookie running back delivered a signature display of the power and determination that made him a local legend. On his first touch, Skattebo took a short screen pass and promptly bulldozed his way through three Washington Commanders defenders, turning a two-yard play into a hard-earned six-yard gain.
For anyone who followed Skattebo’s historic career as a Rio Linda Knight, this was no surprise. This is the same hard-nosed, relentless running style that captivated a community and led to a CIF State Championship. As a junior in 2018, Skattebo put together one of the most remarkable seasons in Northern California prep football history, rushing for a staggering 3,550 yards and 42 touchdowns, earning him the Sacramento Bee Offensive Player of the Year award. He was a force of nature on the field, with opponents often needing multiple players just to bring him down.
In his three years on the varsity squad, Skattebo amassed 6,192 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns, cementing his place in the Rio Linda High School record books. His punishing style of play and incredible toughness became his calling card, a trait that followed him from Rio Linda to Sacramento State, and then to Arizona State, where he continued to defy expectations and crush defenders.
While his official stats for the game—two catches for 12 yards and no further carries—may not jump off the page, the impression he left on that first play was undeniable. The physical, smashing-heads mentality that made him a hometown hero is exactly what the Giants drafted him for. Skattebo’s NFL journey has just begun, but with his explosive debut, he has already shown the world the same grit and determination that Rio Linda has known and loved for years.
