if I were a lower D-1, DII, Juco, NAIA etc, anything but the top dogs, I’d be hanging around the 14U Major State tournament in my State and offering “preferred walk-ons” to all the players in the championship game for both teams and any other kid that made the all tournament team. stick him in my data base and invite him to all my camps going forward. all the momma’s would be promoting my school on social media. kids would be buying my swag and wearing it to class. tons of free publicity and income for my program. it “cost” me one afternoon at the championship game. not much.
if the kid eventually makes it to my school and he’s not good enough to contribute, you run him off like every other walk on that isn’t good enough. if he is good enough as a walk on, you aren’t out anything. and if he’s good enough and other folks are looking at him, you can increase the scholarship offer as per the “normal” timeline for offering for his class at your level (i.e. 25% for D1). maybe you have an advantage on the big boys by being his first contact?
I must be missing something? maybe it’s a little sleazy since you aren’t really offering anything at all, but it sure would be an affordable way to recruit the better in-state kids at an early age and give yourself a chance to get them into your program. thoughts?