Reel Goat Sports Blends Social Media, Recruiting, NIL & More

In reality, elite high school players have been brands for some time now, but in today’s Era of NIL, it’s much easier to see why.

Now, more than ever, those prospects are going to be looking for assistance in cultivating and maximizing their brands.

That’s where people like Devon Sams (@DSamsTheGoat) of Reel Goat Sports (@ReelGoatSports) come in and those relationships will inevitably have an impact on the world of recruiting and in Sams’ case, it already has.

“It didn't really start off as recruiting, but I now interact with Division-I coaches, which is a dream come true,” Sams tells Irish Sports Daily. “Basically, my business provides media content, social media management and mentorship to the players throughout the process.

“Texas is the Mecca of high school football. Athletes like Jaylon Sams, a 2022 wide receiver holds 20 Division-III offers with Division-I talent. Without this program, athletes in Texas could easily be missed and have zero scholarships. I have a goal to give every kid I believe in five-star exposure.”

“The young men I'm like dealing with, like Braylon James‍ (pictured) for example, long story short, they're great athletes. You don't have to be a five-star, I have kids who are zero stars, but all of them are good. All of them have Division-I talent.”

James may be Sams’ most high-profile client. The 2023 Texas wide receiver has scores of offers from major programs across the country like Notre Dame, Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Stanford among others.

But while others would constantly point to a client like James as an unrealistic example of what they claim to accomplish, Sams repeatedly notes James has earned everything that’s come his way.

“My business is a brand-building business,” says Sams. “Braylon has national attention right now, so he doesn't even need help being recruited. Where I help him out, he gets unique videos, graphic designs and other individually-tailored things that not many others have.”

Sams, who also acts as a mentor of sorts, has a dozen of clients and helps them craft their images on social. Social media management is half of what his business is.

“It's very important,” he says. “I'm basically a proofreader. I think sports is an elimination game. You can definitely tweet or have a video or something that isn't good. That's also why I'm here, I'm a second head on the account, creating ideas and most importantly making sure everything is for the greater good.”

The videographers and photographers he has on staff help bolster that image with highlight/hype videos.

“We get out to a lot of things that these athletes are doing, whether that be a 7-on-7 tournament or a football game,” he says.

Asked about how NIL factors into what he can do, Sams again refers to James as an outlier.

“I don't want to use Braylon as example because he's basically already at that point,” says Sams, instead pointing to a 2023 Texas running back he believes was under recruited.

“His name is Cameron Cook‍. He literally is Reggie Bush 2.0. For somebody like him, this assisted in helping his brand a little bit more. If I'm helping ways for kids to get seen more, they're just going to know them more. By the way, Notre Dame should take a look at him.”

Sams started the business last summer, but intends to continue working with the players throughout their careers.

“I plan on still helping these kids close deals with small businesses and stuff like that, so they can make some more money on the side, because that is going to be their job. They're not going to be able to go work at Walmart or Chick-fil-A because, let's just face it, Division-I athlete, there’s no free time.”