Graduation cap with a gold tassel resting on a football on green turf

Greater Houston Football

Javier Loya and the Senior Showcase

National Signing Day passes most players by. The Greater Houston Football Senior Showcase gives those seniors a second chance to earn a roster spot and a college degree.

How It Works

01
Qualify in the classroom
Graduating seniors must meet GPA and SAT or ACT standards to take part. The event is free for athletes and colleges.
02
Compete on the field
Players run combine drills such as the 5-10-5 and work in position groups, guided by area high school coaches and NFL alumni.
03
Meet the colleges
A college fair follows, where athletes talk with Division II, Division III and NAIA programs about roster spots and financial aid.

The Impact

$160M+

Scholarship aid

4,000+

Student athletes

2,008

Since

2015

More than 460 seniors worked out for coaches from 51 colleges, some traveling from as far as Montana and Missouri.

2021

422 seniors tested in front of 41 colleges. Some athletes came from as far as New Mexico.

2024

More than 350 players worked out for just over 45 college programs at the 16th annual event.

Athlete Success Stories

Student athletes in generic uniforms walking onto a lit field, seen from behind

North Shore High School, 2011

Cedric Whitaker: From Showcase to the NFL Sidelines

Whitaker attended the showcase as a senior at Houston's North Shore Senior High School. Coaches from Texas Lutheran University noticed him. He played defensive back for the Bulldogs and earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology.

He went on to coach at Houston Baptist, Texas Lutheran and Baylor, then followed Matt Rhule to the NFL's Carolina Panthers as an assistant coach.

"We're guys that just need a chance. If you take care of your business in the classroom, and I did, you've got a great shot."

Source: Texas Monthly, 2022

Northside Houston youth camp

Football Was My Doorway

At a youth football camp on Houston's Northside, Javier Loya works the sideline, fist-bumping players as they run drills. He remembers relying on discipline, grit and a scholarship to get his own break. When a young athlete breaks through the defensive line and sprints free, Loya nods: "This is where leadership starts."

"Football was my doorway. But now my job is to help others walk through theirs."

Source: NewsAnyway, Dec. 2025

Students and families

Keeping Kids in School

Javier Loya's support for young people reaches well beyond the field. In 2015 he co-chaired the Communities In Schools "Stay in School" gala, which raised support for at-risk students. He has also backed Junior Achievement and the Latin Women's Initiative, which create opportunities for underserved students.

"Access to education can transform a family for generations."

Source: Chiang Rai Times, Oct. 2025

Sources