It’s never an exact science but there does exist a very important window of opportunity that each player, parent, and high school coach must take advantage of during the recruiting process and today we examine this very topic.
Every prospect’s recruitment is its own unique situation, and having a clear understanding of the process and implementing a strategy that reflects this will certainly better your odds of getting recruited. One problem however is a parent and player experiencing this process for the first time will usually start to understand once it is too late.
First and foremost, players (and parents) needs to understand at what level of play they project and how that relates to the “Now”. For example, if you are a sophomore in high school and do not project to the highest levels of play (of which 99% do not), it is not a dire situation that you have available film. There should not be a rush to create a highlight film because by doing so prematurely, you may lose the opportunity of a big first impression.
How is this the case?
Well, Div1 A (FBS schools) programs are the only schools who are recruiting based off of freshman and sophomore film and only a portion of the FBS schools even do this (usually the BCS level). Lower division programs couldn’t care less about what a freshman or sophomore does on film because they are primarily SENIOR film evaluating. Div 1A (non-BCS schools) will begin to take note with JUNIOR film while Div 1AA (FCS schools) will do some JUNIOR and the majority SENIOR. D2 and D3 programs are almost exclusively SENIOR film evaluating.
To apply numbers to illustrate, we will attempt to loosely apply percentages based on total effort. Now keep in mind, these numbers are far from exact, but just a simple illustration that will put the recruiting process in perspective across different levels.
BCS Div 1A (FBS):
Freshman – 10%
Sophomore – 25%
Junior – 40%
Senior – 25%
TOTALS = 100%
Non-BCS Div 1A (FBS):
Freshman – 0%
Sophomore – 15%
Junior – 30%
Senior – 55%
TOTALS = 100%
Div 1AA (FCS)
Freshman – 0%
Sophomore – 5%
Junior – 20%
Senior – 75%
TOTALS = 100%
Div2 – Div3
Freshman – 0%
Sophomore – 0%
Junior – 2%
Senior – 98%
TOTALS = 100%
The main point above is there is a big difference in the amount of effort a program will exhaust based on “Year of”. With this in mind, every player/parent needs to take advantage of this and here is how.
First of all, the efforts of this site already contributes a great deal of support behind the scenes along with the hard work of every coach across the bay area. Whether it’s a head coach, or an assistant
coach going the extra mile for his kid or simply name dropping other kids in the area. So players/parents take comfort in this and also do your part, and here is how.
We will repeat: players (and parents) needs to understand at what level of play they project and how that relates to the “Now”. We are not asking for parents and kids to become overnight experts on what level kids can play, where and why, but I am asking to apply objective measures like height and weight and also know ahead of time and this is just tough love. Know ahead of time that (or your son) the odds are stacked high school prospects when it comes to a full ride scholarship at the
highest of levels (Numerical information we provided at the Full Prospect Forum).
That being said, that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen, or it doesn’t mean that there aren’t hundreds of schools out there who are going to throw scholarship opportunities your way. It simply means that only a fraction of a percent actually sign full ride D1A scholarships.
Just using simple numbers, 500 high schools across the state of Florida with, let’s say 20 starting seniors on a team = 10,000 high school seniors playing under the Friday night lights. Somewhere around 370-400 will sign D1A meaning that only 4% will make the cut. Now this is a very high number in relationships to the rest of the country, but still a small number in the big picture.
Applying objective measures such as height and weight will also help paint a clear picture. Without doing countless hours of research, We would guess that 99% of offensive linemen who sign D1A scholarships are 6’2″ or taller and less than 1% are under 6’2″. So if you are under 6’2″, why implement a recruiting strategy based on a D1A projection?? We would recommend doing some research on some lower division programs.
Another simple way is to ask those in the know and keep an open mind. The BEST thing a high school coach can do for a player/parent is to speak the truth up front about where a player projects. This can be difficult for players and parents to hear. Guys (and gals) keep an open mind. Ask us right here on the website. Simply reach out to us and our discussion will remain private and hopefully something of value to the player and parent.
So now let’s tie this all together and how it relates to the TIMING and WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY that exists and in doing so, use some real life examples right here in the Bay Area.
If you (or your parent) feel your opportunity likely exists at the lower level, do not think that you absolutely must have a highlight tape cut from your freshman or sophomore season. It’s just not going to hit it’s mark. A player or parent rushing to get a highlight finished as a freshman or sophomore is also going to be the same player or parent who sends it out to every BCS program in the southeast. IF you (or son) are not a D1A ready prospect, there simply is no rush for this. In fact, it can become counter-productive believe it or not. You only have one chance to make a first impression and trust us, you are better off waiting until your play develops on tape and leave it as “better left unknown” that confirming within 4 plays of a highlight that you are not “on the board” material.
REAL LIFE EXAMPLE:
Last year we had a sophomore LB in the panhandle determined that he needed his highlight ASAP. He apparently showed up to some combine and ran a good 40 and during his spring, a few coaches asked him for tape. Now, keep in mind, his sophomore film was absolutely NOT impressive. Did he have a chance to develop into a player? Sure. Was he anywhere close to a D1 talent based on Sophomore film? Absolutely NO chance. So, going back to the percentage numbers above, there is not 1 school in the entire country that needed to see that film at that point in time. Why not? Because the schools at where his film projected him DO NOT even look at film on sophomores. This kid had the option to leave himself as a “TO BE DETERMINED” or he had the option to go ahead and confirm that he was not ready. Guess which option he chose…?
So understanding that a prospect is not D1A ready as a freshman or sophomore should put you at ease some. Do not rush it. Certainly do not feel the need to spend a thousand dollars on someone to make you a highlight.
Let’s now take a look at a D1A ready prospect as a sophomore, or even freshman. IF a player demonstrates D1A ability ON FILM and measures up objectively, at that point in time, a highlight tape makes sense and can certainly hit its mark.
For example, last year when Jordan Sherit was a complete unknown, we ran his film right here on the site, where his recruiting process “originated”. This happen because the window of opportunity existed because his level of play projection matched up with the recruiting % matrix above. D2/D3 programs do not care about freshman and sophomore film. Well Jordan Sherit does not project to these schools. He does however project to the BCS level and as a result, his film hit the mark and his recruiting process began.
Now, the interesting thing in this situation is THERE IS NO NEED for this player to have a senior film (Sherit sophomore HILITES). There is really no use for him to have a junior film in the big picture yet dozens many colleges want to see junior film for evaluation purposes.
And since this website is dedicated to the recruiting process, priority must shift to where it will impact the players who need it most.
So what we have seen here is an interesting shift!
While D2/D3 prospect may feel somewhat forgotten at a young age, the time will soon come on the site where we will help you take advantage of your WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY. So every player has his own unique situation.
Another example that recently took place right here on the website was Mike Love, 2013 DE out of Countryside HS. The first ever highlight on Mike Love ran on this website nearly 17 months ago when Mike showed flashes of big time play as a sophomore (Love sophomore HILITES). At the time, his film may not have projected him to the highest of levels, but he was clearly a D1 talent based off of Sophomore film. Understanding the % matrix above, the early film hit the mark and the process began. Fast forward to his junior season and his film (Love junior HILITES) not only reaffirms that he is a D1 player, but projects him to the highest level of play. So now that this has taken place, the extremely laborious process of film work will shift away from Mike Love and Jordan Sherit and will shift towards lower division players and also shift on finding the next Sherits or Loves.
Again, none of this is an exact science but there is indeed a method to the madness. Understanding that there is a window of opportunity and also understanding that there is a maximum point of impact to make can certainly help every player (and parent) put together the very best recruiting strategy for their situation!
In summary, if you are a lower division player, focus attention on junior film but MORE IMPORTANTLY, Senior film is what will likely hit the mark. Keep an open mind. Just because you (or your son) were the best player on the field in youth league, does not mean one thing when it comes to the college recruiting process. Reach out to our staff here on the site and your coaches. Do not take offense to ANY feedback you may get. At the end of the day you are playing in, what we feel is the luckiest area on planet earth when it comes to high school football. With the amount of college traffic that takes place on a year round basis and the amount of access and coverage this site provides there is NO doubt, if you (or your son) can play in college, you are going to get that opportunity.
With an open mind, chances are you will fulfill it!!