Recruiting 6-7 years into a franchise

[jdrhammer]

Quote: Originally Posted by CNLJ1981

I agree a lot with what you guys are saying. However, I did luck out and was able to sign a 5 star Kicker. He was the # 1 overall recruit in the nation and is rated an 87 as a FRESHMAN! I also signed a 3 star Kicker and Punter the same year. They are both rated at 65 OVR. Has anyone else seen a Kicker like this? The 87 OVR blew me away...

I see the occasional 4* or 5* P or K, but it's the dropoff and then there are years where there's one or two capable, then the rest are in the 2000's.

[Enderz Game]

I've recruited a 5 star kicker before. Don't remember what his OVR was, but he had good PWR and ACC right out of the gate.

The biggest advantage I've seen from a good kicker is the field position boost you get from touchbacks. That 10-15 yards per series really adds up.

[jobalo85]

I understand how some of this can be a little frustrating, but I have found a pretty easy work-a-round that is actually pretty realistic. We all know that Centers, Tight Ends, Middle Linebackers, and Fullbacks are very rare in being interested. Keep in mind that their are 120 teams, and probably only like 8-12 at each of those positions are elite. Recruiting is definitely based upon where the recruit is from, so you need a little bit of luck. Their are two ways I would suggest to making your team stronger at those positions...

1. Go for the 3-star caliber recruits, if none is interested, go for the most interested one. The three star recruits at this position always end up a little better than 3 star recruits at other positions, probably because of position scarcity.

2. This is my method of choice, Recruit a big(ger) WR, and 4th or 5th Guard, A smaller tackle or athlete, and extra OLBs...If your recruiting with the right searches and getting different positions, look into changing their positions in the offseason...At worst you only really lose 3 points overall and sometimes you even gain points overall...

Big(ger) WR = TEs - I had a 77 overall WR that was 6'3 218 and I switched him to TE and he instantly was an 82 overall!!!!

Guards = Centers - Usually if there is a loss at all in overall rating, its only one or two.

Smaller Tackles = good blocking FBs - if you have a tackle who's 6'0 and only 250-260...change him to an FB, you'll be amazed that the overall number goes up. (or if you have surplus TE, change one of them to FB for good catching FB)

Converted OLBs = MLBs - this is the harder one's to do because they generally lose 3 points to their overall rating at minimum, but I have often found it that I have two 90 ROLBs and I can easily sacrifice one to be an 87.

My last point is that this is actually realistic, no one gets recruited out of high school and wants to be a Fullback, usually TE's end up getting converted and Guards get converted to Centers all the time. Middle Linebackers are a little trickier and so are the TE's, but converting a big WR to a TE is very easy to do in NCAA. Hope this helps any of you, I love doing it because it ends up making my team and some of the players a better overall!

[Heisman316]

Nice info here, but the CPU needs to change surplus positions to these also.

[jello1717]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heisman316

Nice info here, but the CPU needs to change surplus positions to these also.

I agree with this big time. For me, the problem isn't staffing my own team as I can recruit just fine. My biggest problem with the recruiting engine is how most other teams end up with 10 QBs, 20 RBs, and 30 WRs on their rosters (okay that's an exaggeration, but not much of one).

[turpintine419]

Quote: Originally Posted by jobalo85

I understand how some of this can be a little frustrating, but I have found a pretty easy work-a-round that is actually pretty realistic. We all know that Centers, Tight Ends, Middle Linebackers, and Fullbacks are very rare in being interested. Keep in mind that their are 120 teams, and probably only like 8-12 at each of those positions are elite. Recruiting is definitely based upon where the recruit is from, so you need a little bit of luck. Their are two ways I would suggest to making your team stronger at those positions... 1. Go for the 3-star caliber recruits, if none is interested, go for the most interested one. The three star recruits at this position always end up a little better than 3 star recruits at other positions, probably because of position scarcity. 2. This is my method of choice, Recruit a big(ger) WR, and 4th or 5th Guard, A smaller tackle or athlete, and extra OLBs...If your recruiting with the right searches and getting different positions, look into changing their positions in the offseason...At worst you only really lose 3 points overall and sometimes you even gain points overall... Big(ger) WR = TEs - I had a 77 overall WR that was 6'3 218 and I switched him to TE and he instantly was an 82 overall!!!! Guards = Centers - Usually if there is a loss at all in overall rating, its only one or two. Smaller Tackles = good blocking FBs - if you have a tackle who's 6'0 and only 250-260...change him to an FB, you'll be amazed that the overall number goes up. (or if you have surplus TE, change one of them to FB for good catching FB) Converted OLBs = MLBs - this is the harder one's to do because they generally lose 3 points to their overall rating at minimum, but I have often found it that I have two 90 ROLBs and I can easily sacrifice one to be an 87. My last point is that this is actually realistic, no one gets recruited out of high school and wants to be a Fullback, usually TE's end up getting converted and Guards get converted to Centers all the time. Middle Linebackers are a little trickier and so are the TE's, but converting a big WR to a TE is very easy to do in NCAA. Hope this helps any of you, I love doing it because it ends up making my team and some of the players a better overall!

Thanks this helps out big time, I am in 2014 with Iowa State, and I am glad to learn I'm not the only one who is running into the lack of FB, TE and C depth, and getting every QB, HB, and WR out there interested in me. I just have the issue of get O-Lineman interested in Me. I Have a great offense, except for my line. my highest rated is a 80 on a SIX star team. no good.

[DmoneyH3]

Yea, I have had to create a FB (got him) and a TE (currently recruiting) just to make sure I can recruit. When you get out of year 1,the most you can really sign is 15 players and I am tired of seeing my speed drop significantly when I move a RB to FB.

[kestrel]

I'm beginning to see a lot of ATHs who would only work out in one position. For instance, I landed an ATH whose highest ovr for any position other than QB was 56, but, he was a 78 ovr QB. If a recruit is going to be an ATH, he should be highly rated at two or more positions; an ATH whose best position is WR, should also be a good fit at CB, TE, and/or HB, for instance. If a guy is only going to be good at one position, label him that position.

On a related note, anyone know what happens to ATHs who are on your roster but who's position isn't changed?

On another related note, it would be nice to be able to create ATH recruits...I'm gonna put this in the wishlist thread.