Recruiting football success
November 11, 2024 by Rome Kadi, Arizona State University
Rome Kadi is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Notre Dame Prep High School for AZPreps365.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The recruiting process for many athletes can be long and tricky at times. However, once an athlete commits to the school they want to attend, the payoff is worth more than all of those hardships.
This process is best exemplified in football. Normally, the public hears about a four-star or five-star recruit who has every school’s head coach on speed dial. For many players, however, it doesn’t always work like that.
Jason Samis, with his family on Senior Night, has committed to Drake. (Rome Kadi photo/AZPreps365)Jason Samis, a Notre Dame Prep senior running back and middle linebacker, knows just how much work one has to put in to gain interest from college coaches.
“I took a bunch of clips [from my junior varsity and varsity seasons] and made an [X] account my sophomore year,” Samis said.
“I [also] used a few recruiters to help me out,” Samis said. “They would reach out to coaches that they knew and they would give me advice on how to make my clips.”
Samis also learned an interesting tactic that helped him get the offers he wanted.
“I liked to almost chase coaches,” Samis said. “Instead of waiting for coaches to get to [me], I liked to personally message coaches and teams that I [was] interested in.”
Nate Wootton, with his family on Senior Night, will play for Drake . (Rome Kadi photo/AZPreps365)Saints senior defensive tackle and offensive guard Nate Wootton had a very similar path during his recruiting period.
“I started sophomore year [and I was] trying to get all my highlights together [and] put them on YouTube and Hudl.” Wootton said. “[I would] email coaches every day over sophomore and junior year.”
Hudl is a site where athletes can post their highlight videos to attract interest from college coaches.
“When [I] got responses, [I] would get all the [recruiting] camp invites that I [could], go out to all the camps that I [could] and go out to all the visits that I [could]. I was just trying to get myself out there,” Wootton said.
Cody Wells and his family on Senior Night, before he heads to Nevada. (Rome Kadi photo/AZPreps365)Cody Wells, a Saints senior linebacker, had an interesting recruitment journey through his recruitment that involved a switch in positions from tight end and fullback that lengthened his process.
“I didn’t start playing linebacker until my junior year,” Wells said. “It took me a while to get that first offer, especially if you’re at a smaller, private Catholic school.”
Wells also offered some advice on how football players should be relentless in their pursuit of that coveted Division I offer.
“Don’t give up,” Wells said. “Once you get that first [offer], they’ll start to roll in.”
Samis and Wootton will continue to be teammates in college, as they are both committed to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. When asked about why they decided on Drake, the duo praised the program.
“[Drake head coach Todd] Stepsis is one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met,” Samis said. “He gives the utmost respect to his players, and he gives them every fair chance they can get.”
“[I also really liked] the team aspect,” Samis said. “When I’ve been there and I’ve seen the parents at a few games, [I love] the way that they support and the way that the kids support each other.”
“It has great academics, an amazing football team [and] a great atmosphere up there,” Wootton said. “It is just an all-around good school.”
Wells had interest from schools like Montana State University and University of Idaho, among others. However, he ultimately decided to commit to the University of Nevada.
“They [have] a whole new coaching staff and I met a lot of the kids on the team [during my visit there over the summer],” Wells said.
“[The environment was] super fitting for me and I knew that it was my spot,” Wells said.