The role of an institution's NFL legacy in college selection process

Hello everyone, as I approach my senior year of high school, I'm doing a bit of research on colleges and their strengths. With a great interest in football, I tend to gravitate towards colleges with a strong NFL representation. However, I'm struggling to understand how much this aspect should influence my college selection process. Should the NFL legacy of an institution be a deciding factor in selecting a college?

This is a great question and there are a few different things to consider here.

On one hand, if you're intending to play football at the collegiate level and have aspirations of eventually transitioning to the NFL, attending a college with a strong football program and an impressive NFL legacy can be beneficial. These universities typically have the resources, coaching staff, and connections to potentially facilitate your path to the NFL.

However, it's also important to remember that a tiny percentage of collegiate athletes end up going pro. According to the NCAA, only about 1.6% of college football players make it to the NFL. Therefore, basing your college decision solely or largely on a school's NFL legacy could come with some risk.

Instead, consider looking at the complete picture. Find a school where you would be happy even if you weren't playing football. This could mean looking at factors such as academic programs, campus culture, location, size, and diversity. Also, remember that college can be a time to explore new interests and opportunities, so being in an environment that supports this exploration can be beneficial.

Balancing your interest in football with these other factors will help ensure that you find a school where you can thrive both on and off the field. That way, regardless of if your path to the NFL plays out as you hope, you'll have valuable skills, experiences, and education to fall back on.