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A recruited athlete has a “hook” which means that he/she fulfills an institutional need of the school. He was sought out for his football skills. That does give a big advantage in the admissions process. Essentially his application will go in a different pile.
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A recruited athlete must still show sufficient academic strength where the school feels he/she can be a successful student at the school. You seem to have hearsay but no real facts about this person’s academic status.
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You have no idea of the strength of the applicants essays, LORs etc. It is a holistic process.
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Most importantly, this process is difficult enough without spending time and energy worrying about other people’s academics and admission status. Wish others well in the process but keep your focus on your applications.