You are correct. They can't directly use NIL to recruit players, but look what Texas Longhorns are doing:
Boosters set up a program called "The Pancake Factory" which will pay offensive lineman on scholarship $50,000 a year. They are not targeting any certain recruit, but the word is out that "if you sign a scholarship to play o-line at Texas, you will get $50,000."
The program was set up as the first "charitable NIL entity" and the players will perform charity work for yet-to-be-disclosed charities. The organization said it hopes to expand the program to other football position groups and Longhorns athletes in the future.
SOURCE: https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ritable-causes
SOURCE: https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/...-in-nil-system