The following article is sponsored by National Scouting Report. Visit NSR’s web site at http://www.nsr-inc.com/
Warning: What’s next for unsigned football prospects?
By Gary Silvers
National Signing Day has come and gone. Dozens of Suburban One League football prospects signed National Letters of Intent last Wednesday with the colleges of their choice.
But what if you weren't one of the lucky ones? What if you’re still unsigned? What if you’re not committed? What if you don’t have offers? What now?
First off, don't get caught up in all the hype. National Signing Day is far from an accurate description of the first day of the NCAA signing period for football. It is only one day of the 60 you have to sign an NLI.
Nobody knows who coined Day One as National Signing Day, but it is more of a marketing ploy by the media to get college football fans jacked up about college recruiting wars and final selections made by top high school prospects.
Of course, prospects, parents and the public often buy into the excitement and get nervous. In reality, recruits easily could wait weeks before signing. But the media pressure has convinced most heavily recruited prospects that they have to sign as quickly as possible or lose out.
"Everybody’s goal is to sign on the first day," said Larry Perrin, National Football Director for National Scouting Report, the nation’s oldest and largest college recruiting organization. "Division I and II colleges want recruits to sign as quickly as possible and get that fax back to the school. That school wants to have its National Signing Day class locked up and be able to promote it that day.
"However, many Division II and III schools wait for prospects who slip through the cracks, so they still have plenty of roster spots. I've had prospects wait several weeks before signing and they had several options."
Regardless, it can be difficult for unsigned prospects to stand by as others receive all the attention. But, in the big scheme of things, it really doesn't matter. What matters is what you choose to do next.
Football recruits are permitted to sign with NCAA Division I and II schools through April 1. You actually have almost two full months to make a decision that could impact the rest of your life. Use this time wisely and efficiently. You are competing for roster spots, and not all of them have been filled. There is a place for you, if you have the patience for it.
Here are some tips to help:
Calm down and make a plan. There is still time to work the recruiting process, but you must act quickly. If you have been working with a scouting service, it can help you put together an effective strategy.
NAIA and NJCAA schools don't have signing restrictions. It's critical to keep these schools on your list. They are for real. They award scholarships. They need players.
Connect with schools that showed interest. Find out what the coaches are thinking. Contact them again as soon as possible. Be proactive.
Make a schedule of campus visits. Your weekends -- and some weekdays -- may fill up, but the reward is worth the effort.
Stay the course. You will succeed if you stay engaged in the process. If you let up, your options will fade away.
Want to play college sports? Still unsigned? National Scouting Report, the world’s oldest and largest college recruiting organization, receives dozens of requests each week from college coaches seeking qualified high school prospects (2016-19). More than 95 percent of NSR’s prospects receive scholarship offers. For a FREE evaluation and in-home consultation, contact NSR Area Director Gary Silvers, former Executive Sports Editor of the Bucks County Courier Times, at (215) 480-8764 or gsilvers@nsr-inc.com.
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