How to Get Recruited for College Football: A Step-by-Step Roadmap

You can be a productive football player and still remain invisible to the programs that might fit you.

That is the part of recruiting many families learn too late. Talent matters. But coaches also need a reason to evaluate you, a fast way to find your information and enough evidence to decide whether the conversation should continue.

Getting recruited is the work of making those decisions easier.

This roadmap shows you how.

The short answer

To get recruited for college football, an athlete should:

understand their current level and position fit;
protect academic eligibility;
build a broad, realistic school list;
create current game film and a complete recruiting profile;
contact college coaches directly;
attend selected camps where target coaches can evaluate them;
send meaningful updates and track responses;
compare opportunities using football, academic, financial and personal fit.

There is no single email, camp or social post that guarantees recruitment. The advantage comes from completing the fundamentals consistently.

What to do next

Use the printable roadmap to mark what is complete and choose one unfinished step. If you already have a RepMax athlete account, make sure the profile reflects your current film, academics and contact information.

Public asset: Download the Recruiting Roadmap RepMax athletes: Create or Update My Profile

How the steps connect: a realistic example

Consider Avery, a composite junior linebacker with solid varsity film but no clear school list. Avery and their family first ask the high school coach for an honest level assessment. That feedback moves several regional Division II and NAIA programs onto the list. Avery updates the profile and film, then emails position coaches at five realistic schools before registering for camps.

The important part is not that one email produces an offer. It is that each step improves the next one: honest evaluation sharpens the school list, the school list focuses outreach, and the outreach makes camp choices more intentional.

Step 1: Get an honest football evaluation

Start with what the film shows today—not what you hope it will show next season.

Ask your high school coach for direct feedback:

What are my strongest position traits?
Which level of college football should I research now?
What appears on film consistently?
What must improve before the next evaluation period?
Would you recommend me to a college coach today? Why or why not?

Your current level is a starting point, not a permanent label. Honest evaluation helps you choose appropriate schools and development priorities.

Step 2: Make academics part of the plan

Do not wait for coach interest to investigate eligibility.

Meet with your high school counselor. Confirm that the athlete is taking the right NCAA-approved core courses. Create the appropriate NCAA Eligibility Center account if pursuing Division I or II opportunities. If NAIA schools are on the list, review the NAIA Eligibility Center process too.

Academic readiness does more than protect eligibility. Stronger academics may expand admissions and financial-aid options.

Related resource: NCAA Eligibility for Football Recruits

Step 3: Build a realistic school list

A useful target list is wider than a list of favorite teams.

Research programs across FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college where appropriate. Consider:

position need and roster composition;
current athletic fit;
academic programs and admissions fit;
location and campus environment;
total cost after all aid;
coaching staff and development approach;
whether the athlete would still want the school without football.

Organize schools into three groups: reach, realistic and foundation. The labels should change as film, measurables, grades and coach feedback change.

Step 4: Build evaluation-ready film

For most football prospects, current game film is essential. Lead with plays that show the traits coaches evaluate at your position. Identify the athlete before each play. Avoid long introductions, effects and filler.

The first screen should make the basics easy to capture:

full name;
graduation year;
high school and location;
primary position;
height and weight, accurately labeled;
GPA and other relevant academic details;
athlete and high school coach contact information.

Film should be updated as stronger varsity footage becomes available.

Related resource: How to Make a Football Highlight Video

Step 5: Create one complete recruiting profile

Your profile should connect the dots between the athlete on film and the student behind the uniform.

Include current film, academics, measurables, position, schedule, achievements and contact information. Check every link on a phone. If a coach receives the profile between meetings, it should take seconds—not detective work—to find what matters.

Step 6: Contact coaches directly

Do not assume coaches will discover you because a video was uploaded.

Write a short, personalized email. Explain who you are, why that program belongs on your list and where the coach can find your film and profile. Include information that helps the coach make an initial decision.

The athlete should lead. Parents can help with research, organization and proofreading, but college coaches want to see that the athlete can communicate.

Related resource: How to Email a College Football Coach

Step 7: Use camps intentionally

Camps are most useful when there is a clear reason to attend.

Before registering, ask:

Is a target school's staff working the event?
Does the athlete have current film to send beforehand?
Has the athlete contacted the staff?
Is this event for evaluation, development, verified testing or exposure?
Does the cost make sense for the likely value?

Contact target coaches before the event. Afterward, send a concise update and ask what they recommend as the next step.

Related resource: Football Camps, Combines and Showcases

Step 8: Keep the process moving

Recruiting momentum comes from useful updates, not constant messages.

Send a coach something worth opening:

new varsity film;
an updated transcript or GPA;
accurate athlete-entered measurables;
a season schedule;
a camp plan;
a meaningful honor;
a clear question about the program or next evaluation step.

Track every contact. Note the date, staff member, response and next action. Silence is information too. It may mean you need better material, a different contact, more time or a broader school list.

Step 9: Understand interest before you label it

Questionnaires, camp invitations, follows and general messages can be positive, but they do not all represent the same level of interest.

Look for increasing specificity:

a coach requests film, transcripts or contact with your high school coach;
the staff discusses your position and class directly;
a coach asks you to visit or attend a specific camp;
the program explains where you stand in its evaluation;
the staff discusses an offer and what it actually includes.

Ask respectful, direct questions. Do not force certainty where none exists.

Step 10: Choose the full college opportunity

Football matters. So do the degree, cost, campus, support, roster pathway and people you will spend every day with.

Before making a decision, compare:

the written financial package;
academic and career fit;
position depth and development plan;
coaching stability;
health, strength and academic support;
what happens if the athlete is injured or stops playing.

The best recruiting outcome is not simply the biggest name. It is a college where the student-athlete can develop and belong.

Your next move

Start by gathering the information coaches would ask for today. Put the film, academics, measurables and contact details in one current profile. Then choose five realistic programs and begin thoughtful outreach.

The RepMax Player Profile and recruiting QR code help you keep that information together, so every introduction leads to one organized view of the athlete.

CTA: Create or Update My Profile