WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — June 1st marked the end of the NCAA dead period for Division I football. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dead period lasted over a year so that recruits couldn't visit schools, but now the game has changed for high school athletes trying to get to the next level.
After 15 long months the NCAA dead period has finally ended meaning high school recruits can now go back to in person recruiting and some local prospects have already seen their recruitment pick up.
Now that June 1st has come and gone, it's a summer of road trips for Warner Robins junior Victor Burley.
"All my weekends are filled up now with trips and stuff. I've been to Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Clemson," Burley said.
The 6'5" 265 pound defensive lineman is the number 2 overall recruit in the state of Georgia's class of 2023, according to 247 Sports. He's got more than a dozen offers from top schools across the country and since COVID-19 kept him from any on-campus visits, his phone has been blowing up.
"It was fun, but not that fun because I'm not out seeing faces, seeing people, seeing new environments, seeing the community. It was just seeing the face through the phone," Burley said.
For the entire class of 2020, picking a college sometimes meant a shot in the dark, something Warner Robins head football coach Marquis Westbrook said is not an easy choice to make.
"I mean they had to go make decisions based on doing virtual visits and that's tough I mean not just for that kid, but for the family. They had to, not say roll the dice, but they had to just go on the word of the coaches," Westbrook said.
Since June 1st, Burley visited top schools like the University of Georgia, University of Florida and Clemson University. He's only a junior so there's still plenty of time to choose.
The year of no in-person recruiting put more pressure on the class of 2021 like Baldwin High senior Dexter Ricks Jr.
"Just questioning a lot because you know as well as coaches seeing me, I want to see their school, see what I like about them and see if we're a fit. Especially for the last class, them not even seeing where they're going before they get to go, it's just a lot of questions so I'm glad they're opening back up," Ricks said.
Ricks has a handful offers including Georgia State University and Georgia Southern University, Furman University and Top-25 contender Liberty University. Figuring out where he wants to go means seeing through recruiting smoke and mirrors.
"Just knowing what's real and fake with coaches and stuff. Knowing a lot of people are just saying stuff trying to get me to come to their school and stuff. Just seeing through the fake and know the real," he said.
Baldwin head coach Jesse Hicks has been helping his star defensive back navigate the recruiting trail. The former Albany State University Ram said the extended dead period had it's drawbacks, but some good came out of it too.
"A lot of sending out film. The best thing God ever created was Hudl," Hicks joked. "What it does, it increases the relationship you have with the coach and it increases the opportunities you have to talk and to exchange and have dialogue and let them know who these guys are."
Hopefully helping athletes find their next home away from home. There is still plenty of work to be done for those athletes. Victor Burley will be visiting the University of Georgia and University of South Carolina this week.
Dexter Ricks Jr. does plenty of work in the classroom as well. He's got a 3.6 GPA and has the option to graduate early with his associate's degree.