'Caught up in the dream': The exploitative nature of Texas high school football recruiting

Kristi Nielsen's phone began ringing two years ago as her son, Bastrop quarterback Weston Nielsen, entered his sophomore year of high school. The callers were often strangers who said they noticed her son's talents. They offered him more exposure. Marketing experience. They could help the process along; they just needed some money up front. Eventually, Weston grew into a four-star college football prospect and one of the highest-regarded quarterbacks in the state on his own merit, leading Bastrop back to the playoffs his junior season, throwing for 3,075 yards and 44 touchdowns last year.