2026 tOSU Recruiting Discussion

[calibuck]

From an administator perspective, it's hard to use tax dollars to provide services (housing, money, etc) to a HS talent. Called 'a gift of public funds', and pretty much illegal. Illegal as in not offered to the masses, but a small percentage of the students. Have purchased homes, but have utilized them as training places for both teachers, and meeting rooms for Cabinet/administrators (some schools, older, simply did not plan for teacher or staff training) venues. Could possibly be from a privately funded school, Catholic comes to mind, but could be expanded to 'other funding', not taking federal or state tax dollars. Remember that CAPE, from Cincinnati, made athletics paramount, and education (reading, writing, and arithmetic) secondary, and now IMG etc has found loopholes in their state laws.

 

[pnuts34]

I can’t speak for every local team, but the common theme I’m seeing in a football factory, suburban town….is free housing.

For an upscale town, the homes the players and family are put in are VERY modest, normally old homes near the high school.

Beyond the free housing, is the access to the school district which is 99% of the time, a major upgrade over the eduction they’re getting at previous school. And since it’s an elite athletics program in state, the facilities are as good as some colleges.

I actually don’t see much in terms of local advertising….I think the housing and access to school is what sells it. It’s an opportunity for better development, with a better program, while Mom or dad or both get 1-2 years of a free house.

I can see that. But just what I've heard from parents of athletes, is that the local companies are offering food and/or money. It’s Going to be different based on the school district(economic status of area). But I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jamier Brown cutout in a restaurant or store in Huber Heights. I could see a school like St. Xavier getting a deal with the Skyline chili by the school for example.

From an administator perspective, it's hard to use tax dollars to provide services (housing, money, etc) to a HS talent. Called 'a gift of public funds', and pretty much illegal. Illegal as in not offered to the masses, but a small percentage of the students. Have purchased homes, but have utilized them as training places for both teachers, and meeting rooms for Cabinet/administrators (some schools, older, simply did not plan for teacher or staff training) venues. Could possibly be from a privately funded school, Catholic comes to mind, but could be expanded to 'other funding', not taking federal or state tax dollars. Remember that CAPE, from Cincinnati, made athletics paramount, and education (reading, writing, and arithmetic) secondary, and now IMG etc has found loopholes in their state laws.

But the thing is, NIL isn’t coming from tax payers. That’s what so many don’t seem to get. NIL is independent businesses, citizens, etc using their money to spend on a HS athlete. And that essentially gives them carte blanche to spend how they see fit. If a booster/alum for Hoban has his own car dealership, he can loan out cars to athletes if he wants. If a restaurant owner in Mentor wants to give free food to the OL for Mentor then that’s his decision.

 

[johnson2443]

I can see that. But just what I've heard from parents of athletes, is that the local companies are offering food and/or money. It’s Going to be different based on the school district(economic status of area). But I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jamier Brown cutout in a restaurant or store in Huber Heights. I could see a school like St. Xavier getting a deal with the Skyline chili by the school for example.

But the thing is, NIL isn’t coming from tax payers. That’s what so many don’t seem to get. NIL is independent businesses, citizens, etc using their money to spend on a HS athlete. And that essentially gives them carte blanche to spend how they see fit. If a booster/alum for Hoban has his own car dealership, he can loan out cars to athletes if he wants. If a restaurant owner in Mentor wants to give free food to the OL for Mentor then that’s his decision.

What would stop Big college boosters from offering NIL $$$ to HS kids at this point? Couldn’t the billionaire from Texas Tech (and many others) just start paying juniors to commit and start paying immediately? I may be missing something but I don’t see this just being Tommy’s Pizza sponsoring a kid from UA.

 

[pnuts34]

What would stop Big college boosters from offering NIL $$$ to HS kids at this point? Couldn’t the billionaire from Texas Tech (and many others) just start paying juniors to commit and start paying immediately? I may be missing something but I don’t see this just being Tommy’s Pizza sponsoring a kid from UA.

If the kid is talented enough than that could happen. But the level of a kid that high for a booster to take the risk, is few and far between. Outside of JJ, idk of 10 other players even that a booster would give big money to that they'd feel confident on their ROI.

 

[johnson2443]

If the kid is talented enough than that could happen. But the level of a kid that high for a booster to take the risk, is few and far between. Outside of JJ, idk of 10 other players even that a booster would give big money to that they'd feel confident on their ROI.

But we can agree there is a big difference between getting Jeremiah Smith $$$ and getting free sandwiches at the local deli, correct? I guess I’m saying, big boosters will be just as involved just to scale but I don’t believe this is restricted to the minimal compensation as has been stated in this thread.

 

[pnuts34]

But we can agree there is a big difference between getting Jeremiah Smith $$$ and getting free sandwiches at the local deli, correct? I guess I’m saying, big boosters will be just as involved just to scale but I don’t believe this is restricted to the minimal compensation as has been stated in this thread.

Oh I definitely agree, and my fault if I made it seem like the kids would only receive small sums and a ham sammich. In regards to OH(which imo this entire topic has been about)There will be some kids who earn mid to high 6 figure deals. Im not saying there won’t ever be an OH kid to earn JJ money, but it will be a generational type talent. Big boosters in the state will have their hooks in some kids, and I wouldnt be surprised if Jamier Brown gets some type of deal with the OSU collective. And I wouldn’t be surprised if some kids from IN find their way to transfer to a school in OH to take advantage of the NiL agreement

 

[kanton]

I briefly perused the rules on this the other day & the one thing I thought I saw is that the player cannot wear his school’s jersey or school branded apparel in any visual marketing that is NIL related. If that’s the rule how many high school players are that popular that you’d know who they are without their jersey or something similar? My pizza shop running an ad with a bunch of players from Watterson, Upper Arlington, Northland…doesn’t make a lot of sense if half my customers don’t know who the f they’re looking at.

 

[dragurd]

Oh I definitely agree, and my fault if I made it seem like the kids would only receive small sums and a ham sammich. In regards to OH(which imo this entire topic has been about)There will be some kids who earn mid to high 6 figure deals. Im not saying there won’t ever be an OH kid to earn JJ money, but it will be a generational type talent. Big boosters in the state will have their hooks in some kids, and I wouldnt be surprised if Jamier Brown gets some type of deal with the OSU collective. And I wouldn’t be surprised if some kids from IN find their way to transfer to a school in OH to take advantage of the NiL agreement

Yeah I was more arguing that every kid isn't going to get paid and only large town football stars or D1 athletes would get 10's of thousands. It's not like the QB of Loveland, Wanynesville, Blanchester, Milton Union will be making bank

 

[pnuts34]

I briefly perused the rules on this the other day & the one thing I thought I saw is that the player cannot wear his school’s jersey or school branded apparel in any visual marketing that is NIL related. If that’s the rule how many high school players are that popular that you’d know who they are without their jersey or something similar? My pizza shop running an ad with a bunch of players from Watterson, Upper Arlington, Northland…doesn’t make a lot of sense if half my customers don’t know who the f they’re looking at.

What you’re not realizing is that a lot of people know these kids from social media. And it’s easy to get around not using the school in an ad, it’s no different than Shaq wearing a gold 34 jersey, LeBron wearing a gold 23 jersey, Burrow wearing a black 9 jersey, etc. I can assure you that small towns would eat that up.
Heres Faizon Brandon in a local milk ad in NC:
https://www.facebook.com/thedairyal...arolina-is-a-wrap-were-brin/1273929114777442/
2 football players in Tacoma, WA:
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/high-school/article311689562.html
Here is a football player in WI:

https://www.tmj4.com/news/waukesha-...-old-oconomowoc-football-player-inks-nil-deal

All of these kids are in places that aren’t near pro teams, so these HSers are much more accessible and cheaper

 

[kanton]

What you’re not realizing is that a lot of people know these kids from social media. And it’s easy to get around not using the school in an ad, it’s no different than Shaq wearing a gold 34 jersey, LeBron wearing a gold 23 jersey, Burrow wearing a black 9 jersey, etc. I can assure you that small towns would eat that up.
Heres Faizon Brandon in a local milk ad in NC:
https://www.facebook.com/thedairyal...arolina-is-a-wrap-were-brin/1273929114777442/
2 football players in Tacoma, WA:
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/high-school/article311689562.html
Here is a football player in WI:

https://www.tmj4.com/news/waukesha-...-old-oconomowoc-football-player-inks-nil-deal

All of these kids are in places that aren’t near pro teams, so these HSers are much more accessible and cheaper

The average 45 year old dad or mom who is an accountant & the one actually buying the pizza does not know the 17 yr old WR from social media or anywhere else unless that 17 yr old is already committed to State U or is friends with their son or daughter. They may want to support their local high school football team but they’re not buying a pizza from random 17 yr old unless you can really sell the fact that they play for that team.

 

[calibuck]

Might have overstated the Lambo thingy. Most likely a local car dealership leases a Jeep Wrangler or somesuch for the superstar HS kid. Also, hard to do the 'deed' in the backseat of the Wrangler....assuming that the dealer has a hottie for a daughter.