SaRod Baker, a senior at DeSoto High School, is preparing to trade the familiar halls of his Texas hometown for the expansive campus of Texas Tech University.
His football résumé reads like a highlight reel: 55 total touchdowns — 46 rushing, four passing, two kickoff returns and three receptions — and more than 4,400 all‑purpose yards that have drawn interest from 40 colleges, including Ohio State, Texas A&M, SMU and Oregon State.
A Record‑Breaking Journey
Baker’s academic profile adds another dimension, with a SAT score of 1160, underscoring a balance of athletics and scholarship. In Texas, 17‑year‑olds can now sign name, image and likeness deals with colleges, a regulatory shift that transforms the traditional path to fame from letterman jackets to potential earnings.
His father, a DeSoto alumnus, reflects on how the landscape has changed, noting that today’s athletes can negotiate financial opportunities while still in high school, a stark contrast to earlier eras.
Guiding the Next Generation
Karen Reese, a North Texas sports mom, has organized The Sports Moms Conference to equip parents and young athletes with tools for career and financial planning. The event, scheduled for August 15 at the DeSoto Recreation Center, will feature speakers such as Ezekiel Elliott’s father and focus on sustainable financial management for rising stars.
The conference underscores a growing movement to prepare families for the complexities of NIL agreements, ensuring that talent translates into lasting opportunity rather than fleeting fame.