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Last week, we posted the top North Texas high school football players to watch this fall. Since then, two on that list have transferred out of state.
The exodus started on Aug. 18 when Byron Nelson defensive tackle George Toia, ranked No. 62 on the ESPN Top 300 list and brother of Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Toia, announced he was leaving to play his senior season at Westminster Academy in Florida. The decision came less than two weeks before the Bobcats’ season opener against Arlington, leaving a major hole in their defense.
Then, on Aug. 22, one day after Cedar Hill did a three-team scrimmage against Duncanville and South Oak Cliff, the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, Jalen Brewster, announced he was transferring from Cedar Hill to national powerhouse Buford High School in Georgia, which is currently ranked No. 5 in the country according to MaxPreps.
This not only hurt a Cedar Hill team that is trying to reinsert itself as a state championship contender, but has also left Texas Tech fans on the edge of their seats. While Brewster is committed to the Red Raiders, he reportedly has not ruled out the possibility of going to LSU, as Sports Illustrated outlined on Monday that the sweepstakes for Brewster is still open between the two schools. Some feel that his move from Texas to SEC country may hurt Tech and signal a shift in the tide.
As for reasoning, Toia’s decision to transfer isn’t entirely clear, as neither he nor his family has made a public statement. Toia’s high school career has already been a journeyed one, with Westminster Academy marking his fourth stop. He started at Summit High School in Fontana, California, before transferring to Bishop Montgomery in Torrance, California, but due to paperwork issues, he never actually played there. He then went to Byron Nelson and has now announced a move to school number four.
Brewster’s situation appears to have a bit more clarity – we think. He told On3, a digital network that covers high school and college football, that this decision allows him to graduate in December.
“Transferring to Buford came down to what was best for my future. This move allows me to reach my goal of graduating in December while staying on track academically and athletically. I’m grateful for my time at Cedar Hill and excited for what’s ahead at Buford,” Brewster told On3.
Graduating early is a common practice among top high school recruits, as it allows them to enroll and join their college teams in the spring, providing more practice time and preparation heading into their freshman seasons.
Texas is one of five states that don’t allow high school athletes to profit from name, image, and likeness (NIL). It hasn’t been reported that NIL opportunities are the reason Toia or Brewster transferred (Florida and Georgia allow high school players to profit from NIL), but it is reasonable to believe that such a matter might be a determining factor for other players in the future should Texas continue not to allow high school players to profit in that way.
In Texas, high school athletes can negotiate NIL deals with universities they want to attend once they turn 17, but they cannot receive money while competing at the high school level. Other states, including Georgia and Florida, provide their high school athletes significantly more leeway, allowing them to sign endorsement deals and get paid by businesses for their NIL.
UIL athletic director Ray Zepeda told Yahoo Sports in July that he’s heard that NIL has been a negative experience in other states.
“When I’ve discussed expanded NIL opportunities beyond what we provide here in Texas with many of my peers across the nation, several of them have suggested that those expanded opportunities have had very negative outcomes for students as they have chased short-term compensation outcomes versus long-term educational opportunities,” he said.
In the same report, the executive director of the Texas High School Coaches Association, Joe Martin, expressed concern over the messaging involving NIL money, saying, “One of the things I believe [is an issue] is just the lack of education of what really NIL is and what you can do, and the misconception of the amount of money that might be there.”
It’s likely that the financial landscape of high school and college football in Texas will continue to change, perhaps starting with the 2027 legislative session. NIL was discussed during the last Texas Legislature, when athletes aged 17 and up were finally allowed to negotiate NIL deals with universities.
