Maybe a phone call dare will eventually lead to NIL deal for Taylor County standout Hayes Johnson

Hayes Johnson, third from left, enjoys geese hunting with friends, from left, Carson Watson, Collin Watson, Jesse Walters, Natalie Walters and Cody Berry.

Creativity can pay off in a big way for college athletes now through name, image and likeness but that never occurred to Taylor County junior offensive lineman Hayes Johnson recently when he made a phone call to Kentucky Sports Radio.

Johnson is a 6-5, 295-pound three-star prospect with eight scholarship offers, including Kentucky, Tennessee and Baylor. He’s also an avid outdoorsman.

Recently he had been scouting geese when a friend with him suggested he call a local radio station swap shop and advertise they were willing to shoot geese — which are in season now — for anyone who needed help.

“Then my friend said, ‘You won’t call KSR,’” Johnson said.

He decided he would but would not use his first name so the conversation would not turn to football recruiting. However, Kentucky Sports Radio co-host Ryan Lemond figured out it was him and they did talk football recruiting before Johnson actually gave out his cell phone number on air in case anyone listening needed someone to hunt geese on their property.

“I did a little (goose) business from the call. It was just a joke but it worked out and some people offered to let me come hunt. But I really was trying to hide my identity,” he said. “I also did get some calls from people telling where I should go to school. I know eventually I will have to change it (his cell phone number) eventually since I gave it out to everyone.”

He said he had never considered his call might eventually lead to a NIL deal in college. One perfect possibility would seem to be Hayes Calls, a company in Oliver Springs, TN., that has waterfowl, deer and turkey calls.

“I would love to do something like that with NIL but this was all done just by accident,” Johnson said. “I was not looking for a NIL deal. Once you open that can of worms a lot of schools will make a pitch and I do not want to hear that. I want to hear what schools can offer me and not what donors have to offer financially. I love football. That’s why my recruitment is about, not NIL.”