Recruiting Tips for Football Players

When considering college football programs, it can be an exciting time in a young student-athlete's life. There are many factors to consider when being considered for a college football scholarship. And while it's a big commitment for the college recruiter to make the right scholarship offer to the right student-athlete, it is just as big of a commitment for the student-athlete to accept the right recruiting offer to the right school. Listed below are three essential recruiting tips for football players considering playing college ball.

  1. Athletic Ability

    • Work hard to improve your skills, agility and speed.

      When it comes to your athletic ability, you must remain both honest and realistic with yourself, especially when it comes to your commitment to the sport. Make sure that your decision to play college ball is for the right reasons, and be sure to solicit the advice and feedback of the people who have your best interest at heart, including your parents, your coaches and your teachers. And be open to the feedback you receive. Work hard to improve your skills, agility and speed, including your vertical jump. A football player with an impressive vertical jump is an attractive prospect for recruiters.

    Student-Athlete

    • Take the discipline you've learned on the field and exercise it in the classroom.

      As important as it is to maintain your athletic ability for athletic scholarships, it is just as important to maintain a satisfactory grade point average. Take the discipline you've learned on the field and exercise it in the classroom. Challenge yourself to make as much of an impression with your studies as you have with the game of football. Not only are college recruiters and coaches watching your performance on the field, they are also watching to see what you can do in the classroom. You don't want to sacrifice that full-ride athletic scholarship and the opportunity to play college football because you weren't able to maintain a satisfactory grade point average. That is why it is important that you maintain due diligence off of the field just as much as you do on the field.

    Mutual Exposure

    • Take time to make official campus visits to the top five schools that interest you most.

      Now is the time to begin exposing yourself to several different schools, getting a feel for the kind of college experience you are seeking. It is important that you choose a school as much for the quality of education they provide as for the quality of the football program. Prior to your senior year, take time to visit the top five schools that interest you most. Get to know the coaches of those schools. As important as it is that recruiters and coaches get to know everything there is to know about you and what you have to offer their school and football program, it is just as important for you to get to know them and what they have to offer you. Ensure that your high school transcripts are sent to the NCAA Clearinghouse. And keep your online student-athlete profile updated with both your academic and athletic performance; this online tool is an invaluable form of communication between college recruiters, coaches and student-athletes.

    Showcase Your Talent

    • If a student-athlete is to stand out from the competition, he must be proactive.

      If a student-athlete is to stand out from the competition, he must be proactive. In essence, he should have his coach send film to schools that he is interested in attending. He should also look into attending camps, also referred to as showcase events held by large corporations. These events are held throughout the recruiting season and are a great way for him to showcase his talent. The bottom-line is this: The more a student-athlete can put himself in front of college coaches, the better shot he has at getting a scholarship offer from the school of his choice.