NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For many high school student-athletes, playing their sport at the next level while pursuing a college education is the ultimate goal. In an effort to support those ambitions and continue the organization's commitment to supporting youth and high school football across the state, the Tennessee Titans recently partnered with the Tennessee Football Coaches Association (TnFCA) to host the fourth annual Tennessee Titans High School Recruiting Fair. The event, held Tuesday at Nissan Stadium, drew coaches from 131 Tennessee high schools and 63 colleges and universities representing 15 states.

Designed to be a platform for under recruited high school student-athletes to gain exposure from colleges who wouldn't have been able to access them through the normal recruiting process, the recruiting fair has become an important event each year for high school and college staffs alike. In a single morning, high school coaches are able to show off the film and transcripts of their student-athletes to dozens of FCS, D-II, D-III, and NAIA schools. From the perspective of the universities, the ability to make one trip to Nashville and speak with more than 100 high schools saves both time and money, two resources that are often limited on the recruiting trail.

"It's an incredible opportunity for our staff to continue to develop relationships with high school coaches from around the state of Tennessee," said Austin Peay Head Coach Will Healy. "It's one of the best events our staff will attend all year long! It makes [me] proud to coach football in this great state."

In addition to being valuable for all involved, the recruiting fair is also a unique event in the NFL. The Titans are the only professional team to host a high school recruiting event of this nature.

"Because of our partnership between the TnFCA and the Tennessee Titans, we don't just have a recruiting opportunity that is unique to this state, but rather an event that joins the NFL, college, and high school football that is special on a national level," said Trey Perry, head coach at Mt. Juliet High School and member of the TnFCA Board of Directors. "It is truly an honor to be a part of something that is no doubt advancing our game."

The event is also beneficial for the TnFCA, which has seen a drastic increase in membership and participation because of events like the recruiting fair. Since the Titans' first recruiting fair in 2015, TnFCA membership has increased by more than 200%. As a result, the organization is able to better promote the growth and development of Tennessee high school football.

"The Titans are dedicated to working with high school football programs across our state in order to support student-athletes on and off the field, and this event is a perfect representation of that commitment," said Titans Football Outreach Coordinator Josh Corey. "We are excited to host a recruiting fair for the fourth year in a row, and we look forward to seeing how the event grows in years to come."