Football Skill Video Guidelines

It is critical to have a good recruiting video?

It’s not easy for high school football players to earn college football scholarships. Why? College coaches don’t have the time to travel and see over 1.5 million football recruits in person. That’s why a football highlight video is one of the most important parts of your online recruiting and football scouting resume. It takes just a few minutes for a well-made recruiting video to show football scouts and coaches what a high school football recruit can do on the football field. In order to have an effective football recruiting highlight video, you need to know specifically what football scouts and coaches are looking for and how they evaluate video.

Football coaches evaluate every position differently

All coaches have their own methodology for evaluating prospects. Remember, they are looking for the right players for their individual systems and schemes. Some coaches focus strictly on overall athleticism. They might not care what position you play or necessarily that you’re considered “undersized” - they want great athletes to mold into their system. Other coaches are trying to evaluate a player’s “frame” or “upside”. Could this player maintain great movement skills and add 30 pounds of muscle mass?

For example, you may be the best 170 pound running back in the country for example, but if that college coach runs the I-Formation and wants all of his running backs at 215 pounds or heavier, guys that can move the pile in the SEC, then that’s going to be first thing he looks for - whether you can move the pile in his conference. Every coach is looking for something different and that’s why it’s so important to be in front of as many coaches as possible. Also keep in mind these coaches constantly move from job to job and take their system with them, so from year-to-year when a school changes offensive or defensive coordinators or head coaches the types of players that they target may completely change.

Make sure the video is shot correctly

For example, a football highlight video should use in-game clips and show the entire field. You must be spot-shadowed correctly on every play! Position players should focus first on varsity footage if it’s available. College coaches don’t like to evaluate JV footage with the exception being select powerhouse programs in the top football states like Texas, Georgia and Florida. Punters, kickers and long snappers should also include skills videos not from game footage.

If you’re a young player or if you haven’t seen much varsity time you can include camp or combine footage such as 1-on-1 pass pro, workout footage (40, Pro Shuttle), or for skill players 7-on-7 just to give coaches a feel for your stature, athleticism, and skill level. Regardless of whether or not you currently have game or skill-based video, as long you’re getting the right viewership-enabled video footage out to college coaches you’re taking the first step toward earning a college football scholarship.