A while back, CaptainU shared the story of how Arch Manning – the top high school football prospect in the class of 2023 – is handling his recruiting. But, according to a recent article in The Athletic, it was noted that in spite of his talent and reputation as a can’t-miss phenom, Manning is taking an approach that can best be described as old school. And, though your recruiting may not be in the same stratosphere as Arch Manning, his approach may help simplify your recruiting process.
1. Keep It Simple
Arch Manning has a Twitter account. That’s actually good advice for any recruit who may need some extra exposure. However, while Manning does have a verified account and 7,000 or so followers, he doesn’t follow anyone and he hasn’t posted any tweets. In his profile, he describes himself only as a “High school student.” There are no photos from recruiting photo sessions, no announcements of offers, and no lists of the top programs he’s considering. Nothing.
Again, being what The Athletic calls “the most hyped recruit in the history of college football” means you probably don’t need to worry about having a Twitter account to connect with coaches. But Manning’s dormant Twitter account also shows that he’s keeping his recruiting simple and not spending time creating content for his followers.
While Manning is keeping his intentions close to the vest, he’s also keeping himself out of the online drama and speculation that can demand time and attention. And the lesson any recruit can take from that is, to keep it simple, focus on your own recruiting, and don’t ever feel the need to feed the social media machine. Remember your goal is a college scholarship, not content.
2. Nix the NIL Worry
Again, while Manning has the luxury of knowing he can sign with any school, anywhere, his social media silence and low profile also indicate he’s not trying to leverage his status into any name, image, and licensing (NIL) deals. Contrast that to Quinn Ewers, the projected top QB in the class of ‘22, who instead graduated high school a year early to take advantage of nearly a million dollars in NIL deals and enroll at Ohio State.
Clearly, Arch Manning will have all the NIL deals he wants wherever he signs. But the fact that he’s not worried about it now indicates that he’s keeping his focus on his college search and not the money. And regardless of where you stand as a recruit, your primary focus should be on choosing the right school for you, not on how much NIL money you can make when you get there.
3. Find The Right Fit
The article in The Athletic quoted Arch Manning’s high school coach as saying, “It is an instant-gratification society, but he (Manning) is taking his time,” and “It’s not about pulling a hat, it’s about making a decision.” As part of his decision, Manning has taken multi-day trips to some of the schools he’s considering. Each visit has come at a different time of year with different things to see. Practically any Division I football program would offer Arch Manning the world on a platter, but it’s obvious he’s doing his homework to find the school that’s right for him.
As you’re going through your recruiting process, try to look beyond what a coach may promise or a team’s winning tradition. Instead, focus on finding the school that fits you. Get a feel for not only the program and athletic facilities but also the campus and the local community. The most expensive shoes in the world won’t do you a bit of good if they don’t fit. Why would choosing a school that doesn’t fit be any different?
You may not have the acclaim or the recruiting profile that Arch Manning has, but there’s no reason your recruiting process can’t be as successful. Remember to keep it simple, don’t focus on money, and find the right fit. Do that, and you’ll likely have something else in common with Arch Manning; you’ll both have a college scholarship!
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