Football Recruiting

High school football players must go through the recruiting process before playing in college.

Many high school football players dream of competing in college on Saturdays. They may even get to play on television and catch the attention of National Football League scouts. First, high school players must go through the recruiting process.

Governing Bodies

Schools based in one of three governing bodies offer football teams. The organizations are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Rules

The governing body mandates rules that coaches must follow during the recruiting process. For example, NCAA coaches are limited in the number of times they can call recruits and send them mail regarding recruiting.

Geography

Schools are allowed to recruit nationally. A state school is not limited to just getting players within that state.

Warning

A NCAA scholarship is not guaranteed for four years, according to the NCAA's website. Rather, it's awarded for one academic year and must get renewed for the next year. A coach can choose to not renew a scholarship if a player doesn't play well or gets injured.

Expert Insight

Players hope to make the NFL after college. The NCAA reports, though, that just 1.8 percent of NCAA football players become professionals.

References

• NCAA: Recruiting Chart
• NCAA: Behind the Blue Disk

Resources

• ESPN: College Football Recruiting