QB Magazine Athlete Feature
Declan Romo was throwing a football before he was out of diapers.
By age four, he was at his first football clinic, and he has been playing ever since. Now the Class of 2033 quarterback from Houston, Texas has something that can’t really be taught: he wants the ball when the game is on the line.
“My favorite moments have been when I have been down on the scoreboard in the final drive,” Declan said, “and the ball is in our offense’s hands to go down the field and win it.” He has done that more than once. He also describes those moments in a way that says a lot about him. For Declan, a comeback drive isn’t stressful. “It’s a lot of fun.”
What he enjoys most about quarterback is a quality coaches love to see in young players. He likes getting everyone involved. “I love being able to get all of my teammates involved in the game, spreading the ball around and scoring touchdowns,” he said. It’s a team-first approach, and it matches why he admires Justin Herbert. Declan likes Herbert’s big arm, but he points just as quickly to how Herbert always puts his team first.
Declan also understands that getting better takes more than practice reps. “You have to invest your mind and your body into getting better,” he said. For him, that means working on throwing mechanics and footwork, watching film, learning coverages, and mastering the mental side of the game. That’s a thorough plan for a player who is still in elementary school.
When asked about challenges, Declan didn’t point to one setback. Each season has brought something new, whether it was new coaches, new teammates, or tougher competition. He welcomes all of it. “I just want to continue to be challenged,” he said, “and blessed for this opportunity to play and get better.”
His dad has been part of every step. “He is always teaching me and always pushing me to be better,” Declan said, “and putting me in positions to do good.”
That support has helped him make an impact on the 7v7 circuit. At the time of his questionnaire, Declan’s team was three tournaments into the season and had won all three. His short-term goal is to stay undefeated and win another national championship. His long-term goal is more personal. This fall is his last season of youth tackle football before junior high, and he wants to win a championship for his teammates and coaches before moving on.
Declan says programs outside Houston have noticed him too. He reports that some of the top high school prep football programs in California, Florida, and Texas are recruiting him. For now, though, his attention is on this season, his team, and the next final drive.
Follow Declan: @D_moneyromo1
The First Chapters
Declan is in the first chapters of his football story. This fall marks the end of his youth tackle career, and junior high is next. His team is chasing another 7v7 national title, and he has already led comeback drives, the kind of moments most young quarterbacks only dream about. An upgraded QB Magazine membership captures those early moments as they happen, so they aren’t lost as he grows.
The feature article helps tell that story. Practice Squad includes one each year, and Starter includes two. At Declan’s age, a year makes a big difference. An article this season can capture his final year of youth football and his 7v7 run, and the next one can follow him into junior high. Over time, readers can see him grow from a kid who started throwing before he could walk to a quarterback who loves the last drive of the game.
Every month, a custom graphic gives one of his moments its own showcase. That could be a tournament win, an undefeated streak, a comeback drive, or a championship for his tackle team. Each graphic is designed around Declan and gives his family something to post, save, and look back on for years.
Reposts help those moments reach a wider audience. Practice Squad includes two story reposts each month on X or Instagram. Starter includes four story reposts every week across both platforms, plus a monthly wall collab that appears on Declan’s page and QB Magazine’s together. That introduces his work to quarterbacks, coaches, and football families throughout the magazine’s audience, which fits a player whose 7v7 schedule already reaches well past Houston.
Starter also includes social media consulting, which can help his family shape @D_moneyromo1 as his profile grows so it reflects the team-first, hardworking quarterback his dad has been developing. It also includes consideration for the Top 50 QB Mag Watchlist, priority for the QB Mag College Bus + Camps TOUR so he can experience college campuses early, and camp access through both tiers for more chances to keep investing his mind and body in the game.
Starting young gives him time to build something meaningful. The graphics, reposts, collabs, and articles from his elementary and junior high years will all remain available, and every season adds another part of his story. By the time Declan reaches high school, his development will be easy to follow from the beginning.
Declan’s dad has been teaching him and putting him in a position to succeed since the diaper days. A membership keeps that story in one place: the first clinic at four, the undefeated 7v7 run, the comeback drives, and the final youth season he’s playing for his coaches.
More info: quarterbackmagazine.com/memberships