Baby Gronk's USC, Alabama and Auburn football flips a ploy for social media attention

Baby Gronk's "flips" to the USC, Alabama, and Auburn football programs in the past week -- all of which are unofficial in every capacity -- are all just a ploy by the kid's father to gain social media attention, relays Bleacher Report's Tyler Conway.

"Of course, none of these commitments are binding because none of these schools can even offer Baby Gronk an official scholarship," Conway prefaced before saying, "Schools are not allowed to render official offers until a player's junior year of high school, which is roughly six years from now for Baby Gronk.

"This is merely another ploy for social media attention, likely coming from San Miguel's father, Jake, who runs his son's social presence. Jake San Miguel is known for making aggressive and relentless pitches to influencers in the sports world hoping to land his son coverage and collaborations."

Madden San Miguel could one day become a legitimate prospect, but right now, he is a prop for his father Jake to be at the top of the college football newswire. The gag is one nearly universally despised by football fans and the kid is starting to draw negative attention despite being just 11 years old and clearly having little to do with the social media circus; or at most, doesn't understand the implications of using the clout of nearly every single fanbase to expand his following.

Baby Gronk hype an insidious symptom of social media culture

It's not good for 11-year-old kids' parents being so desperate for social media attention. It's not particularly surprising, either.

In a society that promotes getting views by any means necessary, concern for those around you be damned, you get the Baby Gronk phenomenon. A kid whose dad is promoting him incessantly is towards the bottom of the most concerning behaviors being exhibited across social media.

That's the scary part.