Trench Lab · Recruiting & Next Level · Coach Jay Freeman
How to get recruited as a lineman in 2026
To get recruited as a lineman: build a Hudl highlight film with your best 4–5 plays first, post game film and tag the position coaches at a tiered list of 15–20 target schools, attend camps where a target school's staff will actually see you, and keep your NCAA core-course GPA compliant. Linemen are projection recruits — frame, length, feet, and film matter more than camp testing numbers.
By Coach Jay Freeman · 32 years coaching the line · Updated May 31, 2026
Film first — your tape is the evaluation
College coaches get a limited number of in-person evaluation days, so for most recruits the senior Hudl film *is* the evaluation. Lead your highlight reel with your best 4–5 plays regardless of game or position — coaches decide in the first 30–60 seconds whether to keep watching. Keep it 3–5 minutes, spotlight yourself on every clip, and never go game-by-game.
Build a tiered target list and do the outreach
Pick 15–20 schools across tiers — a few dream schools, several realistic D1/D2 fits, and a handful of D3/NAIA. Fill out every target's online recruiting questionnaire (that's the front door into their database), then follow and DM the position coaches with a tailored note: your name, class, height/weight, position, GPA, and a Hudl link. Coaches spot mass DMs instantly — tailor each one.
Camps with intent — not money-grab showcases
A camp is only worth it if a coach who can offer you will actually see you. The highest-ROI camp is a target school's own camp, where that staff evaluates you in their system. Big-name showcase camps are worth it only if target-school coaches are attending — otherwise they're exposure theater. Go where there's a follow-back or an invite.
Why linemen are evaluated differently
Linemen are projection recruits. Coaches bet on a frame — length, wingspan, hand size, bend, and feet — growing into college mass. A 6'5"/265 junior who moves well is more interesting than his 40 time suggests, because they're projecting the 295-pound senior. That's why late bloomers get more runway at O-line and D-line than at skill positions, and why your *film of in-game movement* outweighs any combine number.
Protect your eligibility
The NCAA core-course GPA is a different number than your school GPA — it counts only NCAA-approved core courses. A great player who isn't academically eligible is a wasted recruitment. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center early and have your counselor confirm your schedule is core-compliant every year. (NCAA rules change yearly — verify the current cycle.)
LinePlay's mission is getting under-recruited trench kids seen — especially from small and public programs. The full cited breakdown lives in Coach Jay Freeman's recruiting research; this is the field guide.
Common questions
- What do college coaches look for in a lineman?
- Frame and projectability first — height, length, wingspan, bend, and feet — then film of in-game movement: pad level, hand placement, finishing blocks, and effort. Because linemen are projection recruits, coaches weigh frame and film over camp testing numbers, and give late bloomers more runway than skill positions.
- Are recruiting showcase camps worth it for linemen?
- Only if a target school's coaches are actually attending. The highest-ROI option is a target school's own camp, where that staff evaluates you in their system. Generic paid showcases with no target programs present are mostly exposure theater — go where there's a follow-back or invite.
- How do you make a lineman highlight film?
- Lead with your best 4–5 plays regardless of game, keep it 3–5 minutes, spotlight yourself on every clip with an arrow, and never go game-by-game. Coaches decide in the first 30–60 seconds whether to keep watching, so your opening plays decide everything.