![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.collegefootballfaniacs.com\/images\/Terrell_Owens_Randy_Moss.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
By: Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog<\/strong> About a decade ago there was a popular TV show called Everybody Loves Raymond. It was a comedic sitcom that kind of betrayed the title because every episode, the lead character Raymond seemed to be in some conflict with somebody who wasn’t really loving him at the time. \u00a0Similarly, \u00a0every high school football player loves Division I football but is Division I football in conflict with you? \u00a0In this article we’ll determine if that is the case.<\/p>\n There are a multitude of factors that will determine your success as a Division I football player and for the purposes of this article, \u00a0I am calling Division I football the FBS division. \u00a0FBS is the highest standard that includes conferences like the SEC, ACC and Big 10. While there are many factors, \u00a0I have honed in on three factors that are key to determining if you are that level of player come graduation time from high school.<\/p>\n Many high school football players have this mentality of FBS football or bust and that’s simply not true. \u00a0There could be a number of factors that could contribute to you not being ready by the time graduation comes for FBS football and that’s nothing to be ashamed about. \u00a0Just because a college does not play on ABC or ESPN every Saturday does not mean that it’s not great football and\u00a0won’t prepare you for a shot at professional football down the road. Many high school players let pride get in the way of making the best decision for their football and educational future. \u00a0With that in mind, \u00a0here are three factors to consider when determining if you are a Division I football player.<\/p>\n What’s My Size?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is likely going to be the factor where I get the most push back. \u00a0Some will say why do you want to crush a young kid’s dream just because he’s undersized? \u00a0Or hey coach size doesn’t mean $%#&. \u00a0Perhaps I will even get some that will comment with some undersized player that made it all the way to the top. \u00a0I get it and I’m not here to crush anyone’s spirit but I am here to give you the mindset to best take advantage \u00a0of you opportunities. \u00a0In my decade of being intimately involved with college football recruiting, \u00a0I have determined size to be the #1 factor in determining if you will be recruited. \u00a0I have known college coaches to fly 1000’s of miles as signing day approaches simply to eye ball and stand next to a kid they saw on film just to see how tall he is. \u00a0Yes, \u00a0they want you to be fast, smart, have a good attitude, etc. but if you’re short, \u00a0you better be out of this world at EVERYTHING else.<\/p>\n You may have rushed for 2000 yards last season, \u00a0had 30 sacks or caught 12 interceptions but if you’re 5’7″ getting into that FBS school you’ve dreamed of will be the steepest of uphill battles. \u00a0One of the best ways to see where you stack up is to go to Rivals or 247sports and check out the Top 100 list for your position. \u00a0Just go through and scan the heights and weights of those players. \u00a0Do you fit the mold because that is what all the FBS schools are searching for. \u00a0They have to compete against each other and don’t want to get caught on the wrong end of the size war.<\/p>\n If your size does not measure up then I’m not saying that your football career is over but I am saying that you need to be careful about how you choose your college. The most important thing you need at the next level is an opportunity and those opportunities get very slim when you don’t meet the size quota. \u00a0Choosing a FCS, Division II or even\u00a0Division\u00a0III school will provide you with the opportunity you need to display the fact that you can overcome the size disadvantage. You need production and forcing your way into a FBS school could result in you constantly facing the frustration of size curtailing your opportunities.<\/p>\n Level of Competition<\/strong><\/p>\n We all know where the recruiting hotbeds are. \u00a0If you are in certain parts of Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, Ohio, etc. then you know that you are banging heads with the best of the best in high school football. \u00a0If you are in those areas and are making plays then chances are you are a Division I football player. \u00a0Making plays doesn’t mean making routine tackles or catching a football thrown right to you when you’re wide open. \u00a0Be honest with yourself.<\/p>\n Are you All County? Are you All State? \u00a0Do you routinely win 1-on-1 battles in competition? \u00a0If so, \u00a0then you might be a Division I, \u00a0FBS football player. \u00a0If you sometimes make plays and have a hard time getting off vs. the better teams then you might not be ready for FBS football and could benefit from developing into a monster at a lower level school. \u00a0You can come back in four years and show everyone what you created.<\/p>\n If you are not in one of the recruiting hotbeds, \u00a0things get tougher for you. \u00a0You may be the best player in your area and for that reason, you get a lot of attention. \u00a0You may even be holding a number of big time scholarship offers simply because colleges want to recruit your area and you’re a top guy. \u00a0However, \u00a0this may not mean that you are going to have the experience you think you will have if you go D-1.<\/p>\n Many a time I have seen top players from smaller areas come to South Florida for a camp only to melt under the intense heat of the competition. \u00a0This is no knock on you. \u00a0What it simply means is that you do not have the experience going up against top level competition. \u00a0It also means you will need time to adjust to that and when you go D-1, \u00a0time is a really scarce resource. \u00a0Sadly, \u00a0programs are giving up on athletes faster and faster. \u00a0Within one summer of practice, \u00a0coaches are determining whether or not a player will ever be “a guy” for their team. \u00a0Once they determine that you will not be then you will have to be Hercules strong mentally to overcome their initial impression. \u00a0This will include dealing with recruits from the next cycles coming in and possibly passing you on the depth chart. \u00a0Just let that soak in.<\/p>\n A smaller school will give you time adjust to college level competition without totally crushing your confidence. \u00a0With a good mindset, \u00a0you will do all the things you need to do to develop. \u00a0Those things will include hitting the weight room and conditioning, \u00a0studying the game and handling your business academically. I have seen players who’ve had their football dreams crushed by a coaching staff and it has destroyed everything else for them. \u00a0Had you chosen a more suitable school, \u00a0these things would have likely been the complete opposite.<\/p>\n When you are in high school, \u00a0seek out higher competition as much as you can and be very honest about how you perform against it. \u00a0That evaluation will be extremely important in determining where you need to go when it’s time to choose a college.<\/p>\n
\nTwitter: @GridironStuds<\/strong><\/p>\n