This Full Blood Filipino Athlete Might Be the NFL’s Next Big Story | Kamren Fabiculanan and Why He’s Built Different

Written By Niko Del Rey

Kamren Fabiculanan was born to Alex Fabiculanan and Kathy Fabiculanan who both are originally from Paoay (290 miles north of the capital on the country’s largest island, Luzon) and Manila, which are both located in the Philippines, making Kamren Fabiculanan one of the only full Filipino athletes not only in all of professional football but in all of professional sports as a whole.

Fabiculanan is the University of Washington’s sixth year safety and team captain. Growing up in Camarillo, California, Fabiculanan learned his craft at a young age and was so dedicated to excellence, that their family would drive 60 to 120 minutes just for Kamren to compete at a higher level in Los Angeles. Those grueling practices at Dorsey prepped Fabiculanan to compete at a higher level, playing alongside players who have gone professional since then such as Detroit Lions’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, Carolina Panthers Quarterback Bryce Young (the 2023 No. 1 overall pick), and Kansas City Chiefs Cornerback Trent McDuffie. 

After his time at Dorsey, Kamren was deemed a four star recruit who was highly scouted and had a big decision to make between schools like USC, UCLA, and University of Washington. Albeit given Kamren’s upbringing as a Trojan fan, the Fabiculanans desire to find the right system and the right fit for Kamren ultimately lead them to committing to the Huskies. Six years and four coaches later, Kamren had ascended as one of the captains of the Univeristy of Washington who played an integral role in their 2023 college championship season, beating Oregon 34 to 31. Kamren would then go on to complete his final 2024 season racking up an astounding 54 total tackles, 2 interceptions, and 2 pass deflections. With a four star high school breakout and a national college championship under his belt, Kamren is ready to take the stage in the 2025 NFL Draft this April. 

With a 6-foot-1 frame, standing at 196 pounds, Kamren pairs his size with amazing athleticism and agility, clocking in an impressive 4.49 short shuttle drill and 9-foot-1 broad jump at his pro day. Ranked at #54 among all defensive backs with a 75.0, Kamren has potential to get drafted in the later rounds. Being comped to Pro Bowler & ex-San Francisco 49er Talanoa Hufanga, Kamren’s natural instincts, fluid backpedaling, and positional versatility make Kamren a great fit for a lot of teams like the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However the Camber Michelle of the Huskies Wire hinted the possibility of Kamren playing for Dann Quinn and the Washington Commanders after meeting with the team during Washington’s Pro Day. 

With Kamren now entering the draft, his identity as a Filipino and what that means to us a people has suddenly dawned on him. “It hit me then, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m really doing this.’” he said. “I want to break that stereotype for the Filipino kids that grow up playing just basketball or soccer and all of that.” Kamren’s father, Alex, said “With Kamren’s exposure in the sport, and a lot of people identifying him as Filipino, he’s really looking to be a part of that and understand his culture more.” Kamren continues to strive to find ways to be involved with the Filipino community through events and home cooked meals from his mom. 

So much excitement on the horizon as we see one of our own possibly enter as one of the next Pro Bowl greats in the 2025 NFL draft. Where will Kamren Fabiculanan end up? How will his story be written? Either way, as you support your Filipino community, we are rooting for you supporting you 100%, Kamren! Go make us proud. 

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Written By Niko Del Rey

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