Playing Favorites: What music hypes you up before a game?

Every athlete develops pregame rituals to find focus before competition, and music plays a central role for many top high school prospects. In this Playing Favorites segment, recruits reveal the tracks that get them ready to perform.

The responses span genres: Skillet's "Hero" provides arena-rock energy, while Meek Mill's "Dreams and Nightmares" delivers hip-hop intensity. Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" and Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" represent different approaches to motivation. One athlete even finds calm in reggae rhythms before games. The variety reflects individual personalities behind the recruiting profiles.