Elite Recruiting Tips: One Don’t and 5 Dos
January 27th, 2012 - byUPDATED 3/20/2012
Have you started contacting coaches? Are you expecting them to start contacting you? Think again.
Meet Eddie Goldman. He plays defensive tackle. He is 6’ 4” and tips the scales at 310 pounds. Goldman, out of the nation’s capitol, was a U.S. Army and an Under Armor All-American. He is one of the top recruits of 2012 and was offered by every school that has ever won a BCS title since the BCS was created in 1993. He waited until National Signing Day to make his final decision, committing to Florida State’s top-ranked 2012 recruiting class.
Eddie is the kind of athlete that coaches pursue. But most athletes are not Eddie Goldman. When it comes to players of this caliber – the kind that schools are saving scholarships and roster spots for – there are maybe 50 in the whole country. Even if you’re All-State, even if your team won the championship last year – if you’re not an incredible physical specimen, all-everything, if ESPN isn’t writing articles about you - DON’T think you will get an offer out of the blue. Treat your recruiting process like a game – make a play, don’t wait for a play to come to you.
Even though he’s been chased after by coaches, Eddie and his recruiting process also point out some important recruiting DOs, which are helpful to any athlete in any sport (but especially football players), whether they’re a freshman or a senior. Think about how much legwork a top recruit is putting into his recruiting process – the average athlete definitely has more ground to cover.
1. Consider a lot of factors when finding your “best fit”
Throughout his recruiting process, Eddie has entertained offers from all kinds of schools. He’s talked to some of the country’s top academic institutions, like Berkley and Notre Dame. He’s explored schools, like Maryland and Virginia, near his hometown of Washington, DC. And of course, he’s got offers from the football powerhouses, including Alabama, LSU, and Oregon. He also has to weigh the playing time he may be able to get at a smaller school versus a better-known program but less on-field time. Even when you’re a top recruit, there are tough choices to make when it comes to balancing all the different things that go into finding the school that’s best for you.
2. Keep your options on the table
Despite having offers from some very big names, Eddie still kept his options open with other schools like UConn and Boston College. For the average recruit, it’s even more important to keep lots of schools on your radar. You never know when your recruiting process could be derailed by an unexpected coach departure or other change in circumstances.
3. Take every visit you can
Eddie took 4 of the maximum of 5 official visits he is allowed by NCAA recruiting guidelines. He was offered by many schools that he didn’t visit and could have easily landed a scholarship without taking any, but he took them anyway. Why? Because visits are important to learning about your prospective schools (you’re choosing them as much as they’re choosing you), and are a chance to create a mutual trust between you and the staff. This is as true for Division III as Division I (though your visits to Division III will be “unofficial”).
4. Keep pushing yourself on athletics
Goldman was ranked the top DT in the nation before he even began his senior year. But he kept going – kept training, studying game film, working out (he squats 500 pounds). Even if everyone around you is telling you that you’re great (or in his case, everyone in the country, keep working hard. When it comes down to it, college coaches want an athlete who can make their team and no amount of hype or swagger will make up for the ability to perform on the field.
5. Succeed in the classroom
Athletes go to school to get an education. Especially with the stricter academic standards passed by the NCAA, grades are crucial, both for getting a quality education and showing coaches that you will not be a liability for their team. Eddie showed that to his coaches with a 3.0 GPA. The days of grades not mattering for athletes are gone – there is pressure from every level to bring more educational accountability to athletics, and for the majority of athletes who will not go pro, getting an education will change their lives.
Eddie Goldman had some luck getting where he is – not everybody can grow that big. But he’s a top recruit because he’s worked hard and done everything he’s supposed to: in the classroom, on the field, and in the recruiting process. He is an “athleader,” and he’s put in the work to prove it.
Your turn.
