The college football world has changed dramatically since the transfer portal launched on October 15, 2018. These days, nearly 27% of all FBS recruits end up switching schools, and more than half of those transfers happen within just two seasons.
Lots of things push players to transfer—coaching shakeups, wanting to be closer to home, academics, more playing time, program fit, roster depth, and, of course, financial opportunities like NIL and revenue sharing. It’s a whirlwind, honestly. In all this chaos, the Sūmer Fit Finder—part of the SūmerPlayer Varsity app—steps in to help high school athletes and their families. The idea is to give players a data-backed sense of where they might actually fit, so they can make smarter choices right out of the gate.
Understanding the Sūmer Fit Finder
The Sūmer Fit Finder helps players and parents make sense of the tangled recruiting process. Instead of narrowing things down too early, it opens up a wider range of programs to consider, letting players focus on schools that actually match what they want.
By pointing athletes toward better fits from the start, the tool hopes to boost retention, improve performance, and help players feel like they belong. It’s not magic, but it’s a step in the right direction.
How It Works
It all starts when a player enters their measurements and preferred position into the Sūmer Fit Finder. You can use SūmerLens, another app feature, to verify those numbers.
Then, the tool suggests the top two conference levels—Power 4, Group of 5, FCS, Division 2, or Division 3—where the player would likely fit best. That narrows things down, but there are still about 200 programs to check out.
Selecting Personal Preferences for Schools
Next, players fill out an assessment to get matches based on their playing style and personal preferences. The assessment covers:
- Geographic preferences – Which part of the country they want to be in
- Academic interests – How selective the school is and what academic goals they have
- Offensive and defensive schemes – What style of play fits their skills
- Program prestige – How well-known and successful the program is
Experts who really know the NCAA landscape designed these preferences. They want to make sure the fit isn’t just about football—it’s about academics and everything else that matters in college, too.
The Importance of Finding the Right Match
When athletes find a good match and stick around, lots of good things happen:
- Retention rates go up
- Players perform better on the field
- They feel like they belong in their school community
Advanced Evaluations for Deeper Insights
Some families want to dig even deeper. For them, there are extra trait evaluations from a team of former NFL scouts, available as an add-on. These evaluations show how a player’s traits line up with different schemes and systems.
It’s a great way to get a clearer picture of where a player might thrive—or maybe struggle. Picking a college is a huge decision, and this kind of insight can really tip the scales in the right direction.
Making the Recruiting Process Less Overwhelming
The recruiting process doesn’t have to feel like guesswork. The SūmerPlayer Varsity app, with its Sūmer Fit Finder feature, helps athletes cut through the noise.
It lets you spot programs where you actually belong and make decisions you can feel good about. This tool digs into the data and shows you which options might be a natural fit, which is honestly a relief for high school athletes facing the wild world of college football recruiting.
If you want to explore more, check out Sūmer Fit Finder. You can also grab the SūmerPlayer Varsity app and start taking control of your athletic future—no need to just hope for the best.
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