Special Report: Recruitment and the digital age of sports

One click can go a long way.

Senior right tackle Ronnie Garza made a name for himself at Edinburg Vela High School. At 6 feet 6 inches tall, 295 pounds, Garza was hard to miss, but he made sure people noticed his game.

“Once I realized football was what I wanted to do and how I was going to get school paid for, I went straight to highlight reels and highlight films,” Garza explained. “It’s really easy for someone to just click on a video and watch it.”

With double-digit offers from division-one programs, Garza decided to further his career at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He will join Sharyland Pioneer’s Star Quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger as well as a handful of other Rio Grande Valley athletes.

Over 24 years ago, things were a bit different.

“Back then you had to make your own tapes,” former Rio Hondo standout Roberto Garza said. “I had no idea what I was doing, to be honest.”

Read more