The Impact of Showcase Football in Recruiting
When the nation’s top evaluator created Showcase Football it wasn’t to make money off of 5-star prospects or use them as marketing tools to sell shoes. In an industry where so many kids get bypassed or overlooked because they’re two inches too short, Keith Miller had a vision to elevate the profiles of undervalued players through intense competition where the cream would rise to the top and be captured on video for all to see.
Last November Showcase Football launched in Southern California with a massive first event including 250 high schoolers and 150 middle schoolers. Weeks later the event traveled north to Sacramento to host another superb event. From those events prospects in every high school graduating class including 2024s have garnered over 100 offers ranging as high as National Champion Alabama to NAIA schools.
In the latest chapter held in Maricopa, Arizona, prospects have already begun to feel the impact in recruiting from their Showcase Football performance. Queen Creek (AZ) Basha ‘24 QB Demond Williams earned the first offer from UNLV after the event concluded. Orem, Utah ‘22 OT Vae Soifua dominated at the event and was named Most Outstanding Player and schools have taken notice. Soifua has heard from the likes of USC, Oregon, Penn State, Colorado, UCLA and Oregon State. San Juan Capistrano (CA) ‘23 JSerra QB Jaxon Potter has the attention of Penn State, Arizona State, and Texas after his Most Outstanding quarterback showing. Lutheran St. Charles (MO ‘24) OL Talan Chandler had a impressive day and has had interested pick up from Ga Tech, Kansas State, Memphis, Tulsa, Southern Illinois and Stanford. Tucson (AZ) ‘24 Salpointe Catholic DE Elijah Rushing now has big time interest from Arizona, Utah State, Boise St. and Washington. Phoenix (AZ) Chandler ‘22 DE Zone Wierenga had essentially little to no interest from colleges before the event but after his Most Outstanding Performance on the defensive line he’s seen his recruitment skyrocket. Wierenga is now hearing from Washington State, Arizona State, Arizona and Columbia among others. Maybe the best story comes out of the State of texas where The Woodlands at College Park ‘22 OL Chance Jackson is hearing from some big time schools and recently received his first scholarship offer. “Once the video of Chance got out colleges started texting and calling. It’s like they had a revelation but we know it’s from his video from Showcase Football,” said Jlyn Jackson, his mother.
Showcase Football is off to its next destination in Indianapolis where the Midwest has a plethora of athletes, expect a massive recruiting impact for top performers and deserving athletes alike. “Showcase Football is not about nor do they cater to the 5-star prospects. Those kids don’t need exposure. Keith does this for the right reasons. He wants to help underrated or unseen prospects prospects create value for themselves through his platform where pretty much every college in America follows his Twitter because he’s the top scout or evaluator.”
The combination of Miller and Catapult scouts that service over 250 colleges with data and scouting reports from Showcase Football has proven to be a dynamic partnership in creating exposure and advocating for players that show they project to the next level after initially being overlooked in the evaluation/recruiting process.
