College Football Legend Gives 4 Actionable Tips for Struggling Recruits Aiming to Secure a Career

If you’re a high school football player struggling to catch the eye of college coaches and programs, we bet you might be wondering: how to stand out in an ocean full of athletes? Adam Breneman, a 5-star recruit turned 3x All-American tight end, knows exactly what it takes to make it in college football. As an ex-tight-end coach for the Sun Devils and a current most- straight-forward college football analyst, Breneman’s been through, done that, and seen it all. And now, he’s sharing the playbook that could change your future.

On December 2nd, Adam Breneman shared an IG post; and kicked things off with a golden piece of advice you just simply can’t ignore. This might be your gold ticket—“These aren’t ideas, put this in motion.” If you want to get recruited, it’s not enough to just play well. You need to take action. And that action starts with one simple but crucial step—building a relationship with coaches.

It doesn’t matter if you’re eyeing a D1, D2, or D3 school—attend campus events, go to games, and start building connections wherever you can. Don’t wait for coaches to find you. It should be the other way around. DM them on social media. “Coaches love proactive athletes and a simple email can put you on the radar. Remember, if you’re out of sight you’re out of mind for the coaches,” Breneman says.

And comes the 2nd tip from Breneman—“Master your social media.” If you’re not a 3- or 4-star recruit, Breneman preached, “your social media is your resume, and it is a tool that helps get you recruited.” Coaches and recruiters are always scoping out highlights on platforms like X. So, what are you doing on your feed? Celebrating milestones? Posting your highlights? Flexing that skill set? Great. Keep it up. But let this be pretty clear—no drama, no trash talk, and definitely no inappropriate captions. Coaches want athletes who show class.

Moving to the third advice—“Seek guidance” from the people who’ve been there for a long time.“Your coaches and counselor are goldmines of information.” They’ve got the connections, the know-how, and the experience to guide you. And last and final advice; check out Adam Breneman’s free CFBAcademy. The “Get Coaches to Call” game plan is packed with resources to help you transition into college football. With Breneman’s experience as a 5-star recruit and D1 coach, his tips are straight to the point. Even the Biggest name in the NFL had to go through this phase.

The letter that helped Josh Allen land at Wyoming

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen’s journey from an overlooked small-town kid to an NFL superstar is nothing short of remarkable. Before the fame and MVP-level performances, Allen faced rejection at every turn. To keep his football dream alive, he took matters into his own hands while playing JUCO at Reedley Junior high. Over 1,000 emails later, a simple yet heartfelt message caught the attention of Wyoming’s head coach. “Hello Coach, my name is Josh Allen, and I’m a quarterback at Reedley JC out of California, I stand at 6’5 210 lbs and am a full qualifier, and feel like I would be a great fit in your offensive scheme!” Finally, Wyoming rolled the dice on this gamble and hit the jackpot.

That one shot from Wyoming flipped the script for Josh Allen. From zero offers and grinding it out in JUCO to lighting it up at Wyoming. The dude went from being slept on to a first-round draft pick. Now, he’s not just one of the league’s top QBs—he’s proof that betting on yourself and hustling hard pays off big time. Allen’s story ain’t just about talent; it’s about having the guts to chase your dream, even when nobody else sees it.