You've seen players use hats, puppies and hidden jerseys ... but the newest way top college prospects are announcing their school decisions -- COVID MASKS!!
R.J. Keene -- a top H.S. basketball player in Texas -- set the new trend Thursday ... heading to a table full of face coverings to drum up excitement for his college choice.
Custom masks with logos from Utah State, Hawaii, George Washington and a few others were lined up ... with news cameras rolling to see which one the 6'7", 190 pound forward would choose!
In the end, Keene locked in on the Boise State mask, picked it up and put it on -- and boom!