The Earlier, the Better?

Football Recruiting Tips: What Does the Early Read Process Look Like in the Recruiting Process?

By Katie Lever, Ph. D|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on December 16, 2022)

An early read is essentially when a coach takes a recruit's academic information and presents it to the admissions office of their university to get a feel for whether or not you will make it into the school. The early read process can look something like this: You're a 12th grade football player and you got a positive early read from a college. Your prospective future coach said you most likely will get in after you apply and that it is in the coach's hand now to offer you a scholarship. That's a good sign! But how long do coaches usually take after an early read to make an offer? Does this mean you're close to getting a scholarship?

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The short answer is: maybe. But an early read isn't the same as officially getting admitted into a university. Here are six other things to keep in mind if you get a positive early read as a recruit.

Early reads are not a guarantee, and are generally given to priority recruits. They are a good indicator as to whether a player will be admitted to the school. But it doesn't have a tremendous influence on the timeline of a scholarship offer.
If a recruit gets a positive early read, this increases the likelihood that the recruiting process will be successful at the school (if the athlete decides to sign there).
Early reads are typically given to priority recruits, but don't sweat it if you don't get one! This won't negatively impact your recruiting process. However, if you are a priority recruit, you may be pressured to verbally commit and you should only do so if you feel comfortable with your decision.
An early read can help recruits narrow down their college list, and prioritize the schools that have the best chance of working out.
Negative or neutral early reads can be worked on if a recruit commits to solid grades until graduation or increasing their standardized test scores. But if it's too long of a shot, look for other opportunities.
Even if you get a glowing early read, always, always, always have a backup plan! You never know what might happen in the recruiting process so it's good to have a Plan (or School) B.