The NCAA Football recruiting process always has been and will continue to be fluid, and this is especially clear now that we are only one week away from National Signing Day. The major reason behind the flexibility of this process is the fact that young, 17- and 18-year-old men have multiple schools telling them what amazing players they are, how wonderful their institution is, and how their program will make them better athletes. These young men also have other influential people, including parents, coaches, mentors, and peers, who often give them conflicting advice. All of these factors place a lot of pressure on these young men as they make their big decision.
If my son were struggling with this decision, I would encourage him to look at several important factors before choosing a school and program. First, I would encourage him to look at the school and the academic opportunities it provides. It is important that an athlete attend a school that offers a course of study which interests him. Ultimately, I would want my child to be academically successful and set himself up for something outside of football, so that he has career options other than football.
Second, I would consider the football program itself and the way it the way it prepares its athletes to perform both on and off the field. For example, although the University of Georgia has not performed well in the last couple of years, they have an excellent coach who has proven his talents and has sent many players to the NFL.
If your son dreams of playing in the NFL, then you have to research the type of system that each school runs, and encourage your son to find a program which will both improve and showcase his skills at his position. If my son wanted to play as a quarterback in the NFL, I would suggest he look at UGA, USC (Southern Cal), Tennessee, Florida State, and Miami, which are all schools whose programs run a pro-style offense. Professional teams love athletes who have played in these systems because they do not have to waste any time teaching them the basics.
As a receiver, it is important sign with a team that throws the ball a lot and gets its players involved. Schools like Texas Tech, Michigan, SMU (Southern Methodist University), Auburn, and Florida, will put their receivers into the best positions and showcase their skills well.
As a defensive minded player, the big thing to consider is whether a school plays with a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. Based on his position and skills, I would want my son to play in a defense that not only will show off those skills but also will allow him to transition more easily to both college and the NFL. Ray Drew is a player who at 6’5” 250 lb. could grow into an ideal outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. If my son had similar developmental potential, I would want him to play in a 3-4 defense in college so that the NFL would see my son’s versatility and ability to play in both space and rush the passer.
Overall, it is much easier for an athlete to learn the skills that are necessary to play in the NFL as a young, developing player in college. If they don’t, they may be asked to learn a new position in a very short time after they are drafted. Tyrod Taylor is an example of an athlete who played solely as a quarterback for Virginia Tech, and now the NFL is asking him to develop as a wide receiver. Of course it is possible that the switch can happen, but it is incredibly tough to go from one comfortable position to a brand-new one. And at the highest level of football, in the NFL, that kind of switch often will put you behind the curve. So many young men forget to look at which aspects of a program will set themeselves up the most for success both in college and in the NFL as well. Winning is the end goal, but if a program does not use its players to the best of their abilities, then neither the individual nor the team will benefit.
I will continue to write posts concerning different aspects of recruiting and if any of my readers have questions, please feel free to ask, and I will address them in future articles.
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