“What do college men’s soccer coaches look for in recruits?” is a common question for us here at NCSA. It’s important to remember that there are over 1,400 men’s college soccer programs in the U.S. The athletic requirements to play on each team vary, sometimes even within the same division level. However, understanding the basic skill level that programs are looking for can help athletes target the level of competition that’s best suited for them. In this section, we’ve outlined some guidelines to help men’s college soccer players get an idea of what recruits look like.
The skills guidelines section offers a snapshot of what D1-level athletes can do on the field. Keep in mind that these numbers are simply a current snapshot of what coaches are already looking for.
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D1 goalkeeper skills
Extremely athletic; taller than average; can out-jump opposing forwards; covers most of the goal-mouth when diving; catches everything when able to get two hands on the ball; is able to consistently catch crosses; punts and drop kicks past mid-field; goal kicks past midfield; is able to throw balls to teammates 35-45 yards away; is vocal in communicating with teammates, calling out marks and calling for the ball.
D1 outside defender skills
Fast; great first touch; makes smart passes and always looks to keep the ball, as opposed to just randomly kicking it; looks to get involved in the attack and dribble up the wing; defends one-on-one well; clearly looks to force the ball one way or the other; tackles smart.
D1 center defender skills
Fast; great first touch; ability to win headers; consistently good positioning (in position to help support other defenders in case they get beat); vocal communicator to other defenders and midfielders; controls the team’s back line in regard to pushing up and dropping back; always makes smart passes; solid and smart one-on-one defending.
D1 center midfielder skills
Very comfortable with the ball; consistently has a great first touch no matter how good the pass is (hard, soft, in the air, bouncing, etc.); connects a large majority of passes; has vision to see and make passes that others can’t; looks to switch the field of play away from pressure; totally comfortable using both feet; can take deep shots; strong in the air, winning headers on goal kicks and punts; strong defending, either stealing passes or making strong tackles.
D1 outside mid/wing forward skills
Fast; good endurance; one-on-one ability; ability to consistently serve a cross that is driven (not looped) into dangerous areas of the box; ability to get up and down the field (attack and defend); ability to make combination plays (give and go, etc.); ability to get in behind the back line; desire and vision to go to goal and take shots if opportunity presents itself (not content to stay on the wing).
D1 forward skills
One-on-one ability; more than just fast (has multiple moves to beat defenders); good power and accuracy of shot; good shot placement and selection (knows when and where to put the ball); ability to win headers on crosses; uses both feet equally; ability to receive ball with back to goal and then turn to attack goal; ability to get in behind the back line; knowledge of when to make runs to receive ball to attack goal without being offside.