Big County Preps gives student athletes exposure

TAMPA (FOX 13) - High school football's biggest stars have no problems getting noticed by colleges. Recruiters comb campuses all over the country.

High school coaches lobby hard for their players, but Preston Jackson has come up with a unique program to make sure talent doesn't get missed. Big County Preps is a free, independent service that is marketing Bay Area players on social media.

"When we put different hits out there, we like to call it our 'bread crumbs,' we like to call them. College coaches are looking," said Big County Preps founder Preston Jackson. "If you take the time and go on Big County Preps, or any one of our social media platforms, you'll see who follows us. It's a lot of college coaches."

Big County Preps is revolutionizing the recruiting war, but it's not a recruiting business. What first began in 2010 as a football camp, has evolved into a program that high school players are drawn to. Earning a spot on Big County Preps site brings credibility.

"Number one, they have to be good enough to play college ball," said Jackson. "They're not going to offer a kid based on what Big County Preps says. What we want them to do is write that name down and do their own homework because of what Big County Preps says."

There is no question about the science behind sports. Student athletes are training far better than they did 10 and 20 years ago. Big County Preps has partnered with Performance Compound Training Center to give kids a greater edge as they try to reach the next level.

"So these athletes today, if they are not doing these kind of things, they're behind," said Performance Compound Director of Youth Development Dwight Ross. "They are going to be behind... because there are so many of these kind of facilities popping up around the country."

"The game is evolving," said Jackson. "Sports science is evolving. Kids are stronger. They are bigger. They are faster."

With value of a 4-year division one college scholarship estimated at nearly half a million dollars for a football player, utilizing every resource and the latest in technology can be a huge game changer.