Can I Use X (Formerly Twitter) to Get Recruited to Play College Football?

As you are aware, the former Twitter platform now known as X is very popular amongst college football coaches and players alike. You can use X to get recruited. Almost every football player (you included I bet!) has an X account. College football coaches are fans of X because it allows them to easily promote their football program and speak with fellow college coaches and new as well as existing players. Let’s take a deeper look into X formerly known as Twitter, as a recruiting tool to see if it is effective and something that you should continue to dedicate time to.

WHAT DOES X (FORMERLY TWITTER) DO FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS?

X to get recruited allows you to increase your visibility as a football player. You do this by making your online presence known through posting videos, pictures and interacting with tweets. X makes it quick and easy to make direct connections with college coaches and other people which has made it very popular in the world of football

CAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES FIND ME ON X ( FORMERLY TWITTER)?

Yes, it is quite easy for college coaches to find you on X, especially if you are active and posting about yourself. This is why players gravitate to X to get recruited. This is also within their recruiting rules too, so college coaches are allowed to speak with you and, recruit you via twitter as long as it is within their allowed contact periods according to the NCAA recruitment calendar.

A football coach who is interested in you will most likely follow you back on X. This way they can gather more information on you and evaluate any film you put up and the nature of your character (which is another very important aspect to college coaches when recruiting a player.)

TIP: Make sure your X posts are focused on getting you recruited. Think to yourself “will this post enhance my chances of getting recruited?” if yes, then post! if not, then delete.

If a college coach follows you on X you should follow them back, regards of the division or level. This is a good sign that the coach may be interested in recruiting you. You should keep yourself open to all options and possibilities. Also, you can shoot them a message to let them know that you appreciate them following you and you are interested in opening up communication with them.

IF A COLLEGE COACH FOLLOWS ME ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER) DOES THAT MEAN I’M BEING RECRUITED?

Yes, this is one of the reasons a college football coach will follow you. They are not in the business of wasting their time, so when a college coach decides to follow you it is typically because they have an interest in you. They will follow you so that they can keep tabs on what you are doing both in terms of your football career and personal life. They do this to see if you are a player of high standing characteristics or, are there some red flags …

NOTE: Be aware of the time a college coach starts to follow you. One reason they could be following is because they are hosting a football camp and want to promote this to as many new football players as possible. 

If a college coach who follows you on X sends you a direct message (a.k.a. DM) first, this is a very good indication that he wants to recruit you. If a college coach responds to a direct message that you sent first with some enthusiasm and detail, this is also a good sign of being recruited. Remember, college coaches can only contact you during contact periods so don’t worry if you send a message and a coach hasn’t replied, just check the recruitment calendar to see when these dates are.

TIP: Make sure your DM’s are open so coaches can contact you. You can check this in your X settings. Make sure your account is able to receive DM’s from people who are not following you. You will find this in the Privacy and Content section. 

WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE MY X (FORMERLY TWITTER) PROFILE MORE NOTICEABLE TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES?

The first thing you can do is be active on X. If you are going to use X to get recruited this is crucial. By this, we mean you should be posting daily. The type of posts you should be making should be things like: your game highlights, pictures/videos of your training etc. Anything that promotes your seriousness about getting recruited to play college football. You should view your twitter profile as your football resume.

Here are some simple but effective tips to help give your twitter profile a boost!

• Use a real photo of you in your football uniform – this shows you are a serious player
• Use your real full name (no nicknames) – you want coaches to be able to find you easily
• Your twitter handle should be easily searchable (example: @JohnBriggs2024)
• In your twitter bio include: Position, height, weight, class, GPA, high school/club team
• Make sure location is correct so coaches can see where you’re located
• Pin at the top of your twitter, your highlight video and contact information so college coaches don’t have to scroll down your wall to find it

HOW MUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD I PUT ON MY X (FORMERLY TWITTER) PROFILE FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES?

You should always use you real name for your X profile and twitter handle if you want to use X to get recruited. If you are trying to get recruited you need to make it very easy for college coaches to type your name in and find you.  If your name is a popular name, you can add your middle name/initial (if you have one), or your jersey number, or your position to your handle to make you stand out more.

In regards to your profile picture, try and pick a picture that’s going to catch their eye. It needs to be a sharp, clear picture. If you have a bright colored football jersey or something like this, it is a good idea to use that picture as it will be attention grabbing and memorable as you want to be as recognizable as possible. Maximum online exposure is all about setting yourself apart from the rest and making yourself easy to find. It is advisable to avoid any social-outing pictures with friends and family as this type of profile picture will just have your twitter profile get lost in the mix.

Other personal information you should have available on your X is your position. Your class year is an important piece of information that college coaches want to know too. This helps them figure out when and how they will communicate with you as a potential recruit.  If you have strong GPA/test scores you should include these on your X profile. Additionally, if you play for a club team include the name of the team you play for.  College coaches want to know this because it gives them more information about you as a player in terms of your level. Always include your height and weight and other stats that you think will make you stand out from other recruits (Examples: max reps, your 40 time, vertical, achievements, awards etc.)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

WHAT ARE GOOD POSTS TO MAKE ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER) FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROSPECTS?

It is very important to be aware that college coaches will see and read all your posts! They do this to determine if you are a potential recruit or not. With this in mind you should always think about what you’re going to post or repost before you do so.

Examples of good posts to tweet are as follows:

• Your recent football highlights & profile info
• Clips from games, tournaments and combines
• Your football game schedule
• Comments, quotes or pictures from football tournaments
• Comments, quotes or pictures from football camps/clinics
• Video or pictures of you training/practicing/skills work
• Information about any college campus visits both official and unofficial
• Football accomplishments and achievements
• Any athletic or academic offers made to you by college coaches
• Support for your teammates and coaches (high school/club/academy)
• What majors you’re interested in
• How you want to be as a college football player and your aspirations

WHAT ARE BAD POSTS TO POST ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER) FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROSPECTS?

A bad post would be something that could potentially harm your chances of becoming a recruit. It is best to avoid posting such posts. Your twitter profile should be a good representation of you as a player, your interests and your goals. It should be something that you would be happy for anyone to look at.

Here are some examples of the type of X posts football recruits should avoid:

• Inappropriate comments
• Reposting inappropriate videos
• Reposting inappropriate pictures
• Reposting inappropriate comments
• Posting too much about other things and not focusing on football

WHO SHOULD COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROSPECTS FOLLOW ON TWITTER?

You should know that college coaches will be paying attention to who you follow on X. Why do they do this? They do this to get an idea of what your interests are and see which other college coaches might already be following and recruiting you.

TIP: Make sure you follow X accounts that show your dedication to your sport, your education, your success, your team and the communities you are involved in.

People to follow on X should include current football coaches at schools you are interested in, retired college coaches who offer good advise on becoming a great college football player, other players, teammates, anything educational or motivational and specific to your college sport, education and life goals.

Another way to grab a college coach’s attention is to tag them into your posts. It is advisable to only do this a few times to see if it generates a response from the coach (sometimes a private DM might be better!). Tagging a college coach is a good idea when you come across their X account but is private and you want to make contact or, if you want to congratulate them on a recent win or promotion.

CONCLUSION

The X social media platform is great for following schools you are interested in and contacting college football coaches to see if their program is a program you’d be interested in playing for. X can be a useful tool to get you on the radar of college coaches who are recruiting football players because it provides useful information about you that football coaches want to know. You most certainly can use X to get recruited. However, you are selling yourself short if you just rely on X to get yourself recruited. You still need to be more specific in your recruitment strategy and should know which college coaches are recruiting your position specifically. You will not find this information by just following and being followed by college coaches on X. To find college coaches recruiting your position now CLICK HERE and get yourself recruited.