Methodology
PrepRanks combines weighted service averages, rank momentum, position scarcity, cross-service consensus, and elite recognition into a comprehensive 0-100 composite score.
The Problem with Traditional Rankings
Traditional star ratings tell you one service's opinion of a recruit. But they're missing critical context:
- Position value: A 3-star kicker might be more valuable than a 5-star wide receiver simply because elite kickers are rare
- Trending direction: Is this recruit rising or falling in the rankings?
- Agreement level: Do all services agree, or is there major disagreement?
Our Solution
PrepRanks combines 5 factors into a single composite score that captures the complete picture: talent quality, position scarcity, momentum, consensus, and elite national status.
The PrepRanks Algorithm
0-100 Points
Five components combine to create our comprehensive ranking
1. Weighted Service Average (0-50 points)
A composite of all 4 major recruiting services
We combine ratings from ON3, 247Sports, Rivals, and ESPN using a weighted formula that accounts for each service's methodology and data quality:
Example:
Recruit with ON3: 90, 247: 88, Rivals: 92, ESPN: 85
(90 × 0.35) + (88 × 0.30) + (92 × 0.20) + (85 × 0.15) = 89.0
Normalized to 50-point scale: 44.5 / 50 points
No single service has perfect information. By combining all four, we capture the consensus view while weighting services based on their data quality and comprehensiveness.
2. Rank Momentum (0-25 points)
Trending up or down? Momentum reveals emerging talent
Static rankings miss the story of who's rising and who's falling. We track rank changes across all services to reward recruits with positive momentum.
Rising
Rank improved 50+ spots: +25 points
Stable
No change data: +15 points
Declining
Rank dropped 50+ spots: +0 points
Example:
Recruit moved from #250 to #180 (up 70 spots) in last 6 months
Rising momentum (70 spots) = +25 points (maximum)
Momentum reveals emerging talent that traditional rankings lag behind. A recruit jumping 100 spots signals breakout performance that deserves recognition now, not in 6 months.
3. Position Scarcity (0-15 points)
Rare positions get recognition for their value
A 5-star wide receiver competes with 300 other WRs. A 4-star kicker might be one of only 10 elite specialists. Position scarcity accounts for supply and demand in recruiting.
Position Scarcity Multipliers:
Real-World Example:
3-Star Kicker
Service average: 35/50
Momentum: +15
Position scarcity: +15
Stability: +8
Total: 73
5-Star Wide Receiver
Service average: 48/50
Momentum: +12
Position scarcity: +5
Stability: +9
Total: 74
Traditional rankings treat all positions equally. But colleges need balanced rosters. A team with 20 great WRs still loses without a kicker. Scarcity reflects real recruiting value.
4. Cross-Service Stability (0-10 points)
Do all services agree? Consensus builds confidence
When ON3, 247Sports, Rivals, and ESPN all rank a recruit similarly, that's a strong consensus signal. Major disagreements suggest uncertainty that we factor into the final score.
High Consensus
All services within 5 rating points
ON3: 90, 247: 92, Rivals: 89, ESPN: 91
Range: 3 = +10 bonus
Low Consensus
Services differ by 20+ rating points
ON3: 95, 247: 88, Rivals: 92, ESPN: 75
Range: 20 = +2 bonus
Formula:
RatingRange = Highest Service Rating - Lowest Service Rating
Consensus matters. When all services agree, you can trust the evaluation. Major disagreements suggest incomplete information or regional bias.
5. Elite Recognition (0-10 points)
Bonus for true elite national talent
Top 10, Top 25, Top 50, and Top 100 recruits are elite national talents who deserve recognition beyond standard scoring. This component rewards consensus excellence across all major services.
Top 10
Generational talent: +10 points
Top 25
Elite national: +7 points
Top 50
High national: +5 points
Top 100
National caliber: +3 points
Example:
Top 10 5⭐ WR with consensus national rank of 8
Average rank across services: 8 → +10 points
Elite bonus allows top recruits to overcome position penalties and reach 85-90+ scores
Elite Recognition ensures that true national elite talent (Top 10, Top 25, Top 50, Top 100) receives proper credit. This prevents position penalties from obscuring generational recruits. Our weighted formula allows elite recruits to overcome position scarcity limitations and achieve scores that reflect their true national standing.
Proprietary Intelligence
Beyond the composite score, we calculate exclusive metrics that provide insights you won't find anywhere else.
Market Value Index (MVI) - 0-100
Measures recruiting "heat" and demand independent of talent ratings
MVI quantifies how in-demand a recruit is based on offer activity, prediction momentum, and recruiting competition.
Core Factors:
Offer Count (0-25 pts)
More offers = higher demand. 20+ offers = max points.
Power Four Ratio (0-10 bonus pts)
High % of P4 offers shows elite-level interest.
Program Quality Score (0-18 bonus pts)
Weighted by offering schools' historical class rankings.
Prediction Volume (0-20 pts)
More crystal ball picks = higher recruiting buzz.
Recruiting Competition (0-10 pts)
Multiple P4 predictions signals high-stakes battle.
National Reach Score (0-15 bonus pts)
Geographic diversity of offers (100+ miles).
NIL/Portal Interest (0-5 bonus pts)
Evidence of NIL discussions or transfer portal attention.
A 3-star recruit with 25 offers (15 P4), 30 predictions, and national reach could have MVI 85+ despite lower star rating—signaling a "hidden gem."
Offer Quality Index (OQI) - 0-100
Measures the prestige and program quality of a recruit's offer list
OQI evaluates who is offering, not just how many. It distinguishes between a recruit with 30 G5 offers versus one with 10 elite P4 offers by analyzing historical program success.
Four Components:
Power Four Percentage
% of offers from P4 conferences
Average Class Rank
Historical class rankings (5yr avg)
Average Draft Success
NFL draft picks per school (5yr avg)
Geographic Reach
Distance diversity of offers
OQI Tiers:
Key Difference:
- OQI: Quality of programs offering (prestige, development)
- MVI: Volume/heat of recruiting activity (buzz, predictions)
- High OQI + Low MVI: Elite offers but quiet = undervalued gem
- High MVI + Low OQI: Lots of offers but mostly G5 = overrated hype
Commitment Risk Score - 0-100
Predicts likelihood of decommitment for committed recruits
For committed recruits, we calculate the probability they'll flip to another school based on offer activity, prediction trends, commitment timing, and program stability.
Risk Factors:
Elite Program Pressure (0-20 bonus pts)
G5-committed recruit with multiple elite P4 offers.
Offer Mismatch (0-25 pts)
Committed school significantly lower-ranked than best offers.
Prediction Momentum (0-20 pts)
Recent predictions to other schools after commitment.
Early Commitment (0-15 pts)
Committed 12+ months before signing day = more time to flip.
Coaching Changes (0-10 pts)
Recent coaching turnover at committed school.
Visit Activity (0-10 pts)
Official visits scheduled to other schools post-commitment.
Football Intelligence
Football-specific metrics that capture recruiting dynamics unique to the sport. These metrics go beyond generic rankings to evaluate position-specific size requirements, two-way roster flexibility, quarterback premium value, offensive line scarcity, early enrollment advantages, speed indicators, regional recruiting hotspots, and multi-sport athleticism.
Size Premium Index (SPI)
Position-specific physical dominance (0-100). Evaluates height + weight against prototypical builds: OL need 300+ lbs, QB need 6'2"+, speed positions need athleticism ratios.
Two-Way Impact Score (TWIS)
Travis Hunter-type roster flexibility (0-100). Identifies rare players who excel on both offense and defense, providing elite scholarship efficiency.
QB Premium Index (QPI)
Elite quarterback value (0-100, QB only). The most valuable position in football. Rewards prototypical height (6'2"+), elite rankings, and Power Four offers.
OL Shortage Multiplier (OLSM)
Offensive line scarcity premium (60-100, OL only). All offensive linemen start at 60 baseline (reflects critical scarcity). Elite size + talent reaches 90-100.
Early Enrollment Advantage (EEA)
7-month spring practice head start (0-100). Especially valuable for QB/OL learning systems. Measures development edge from January enrollment.
Speed Position Proxy (SPP)
Athleticism signals (0-100). Weight-to-height ratios + elite speed program offers (Oregon, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia) indicate athleticism when verified 40 times unavailable.
Power Five Regional Advantage (PFRA)
Geographic recruiting advantage (0-100). TX/FL/GA/CA/OH = maximum evaluator exposure and elite competition. More eyes = better evaluation accuracy.
Positional Athleticism Transfer (PAT)
Multi-sport athleticism proxy (0-100). Physical measurements indicate athletic versatility. Future: will incorporate actual basketball/track/baseball participation data.
Basketball Intelligence
Basketball-specific metrics for both men's and women's recruiting. Height matters exponentially in basketball - a 6'9" point guard is a unicorn, while a 6'11" center is standard. These metrics capture age advantages (younger = more upside), position versatility (modern positionless basketball), one-and-done probability (NBA departures), guard skills premium, big man scarcity, and international talent pipelines.
Height Advantage Index (HAI)
Height premium by position (0-100). Uses standardized z-scores: 6'9" PG = 92 (elite unicorn size), 6'11" C = 50 (average), 6'0" PG = 38 (undersized).
Physical Profile Score (PPS)
Combined height + weight assessment (0-100). Identifies "Unicorns" (tall skilled guards), "Athletic Bigs" (mobile centers), "Undersized", "Oversized", or "Standard" profiles.
Age Advantage Index (AAI)
Age relative to class (0-100). Younger players in same class = more physical development runway. 17.0 years at signing = 70+ (good upside), 18.0 years = 30- (limited upside).
Position Versatility Score (PVS)
Multi-position capability (0-100). Modern positionless basketball values combo guards (PG/SG/SF) and stretch 4s (SF/PF). 3+ positions = 90+, 2 positions = 70+.
One-and-Done Probability (ODP)
NBA departure likelihood (0-100, men's basketball only). Top 10 + 6'9" wing + blue blood offers = 90+ (LOCK for one-and-done). Affects recruiting strategy and playing time projections.
Guard Skills Premium (GSP)
Elite guard potential (0-100, PG/SG only). NBA teams prioritize ball-handlers with size. Top 12 PG/SG at 6'5" = 95 (elite NBA guard prospect).
Big Man Scarcity Premium (BMSP)
Elite center/forward value (0-100, C/PF only). Skilled 7-footers are incredibly rare. 6'11" PF/C Top 20 = 95 (elite modern big).
International Prospect Flag (IPF)
Global talent pipeline (Boolean). International players develop differently (professional leagues vs. high school/AAU) and may be undervalued early in evaluation cycle.
Data Sources & Transparency
Recruit & Offer Data
All recruit profiles, rankings, offers, and predictions sourced from publicly available data feeds including:
- Star ratings and ranks from ON3, 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN
- Complete offer lists with school names and dates
- Crystal ball predictions with confidence and timestamps
- Commitment status and timing
- Physical metrics (height, weight, 40-time)
College Program Data
Conference assignments, division classifications (FBS/FCS), Power Four designations, historical class rankings, and draft success data from official athletic conference sources and 5-year rolling averages.
Update Frequency
Rankings and proprietary scores recalculated weekly via automated data refresh. Major recruiting events trigger immediate updates.
What We DON'T Use
- Subjective "eye test" evaluations or personal opinions
- Social media follower counts or hype metrics
- Insider information or pay-to-access prediction networks
- Manual adjustments or "gut feel" overrides
Every score is 100% algorithmic and reproducible from publicly available data.
PrepRanks Star Ratings
PrepRanks scores (0-100) map to familiar 5-star ratings using data-driven thresholds:
Elite
Top ~30 nationally
High Major
Top P4 programs
Solid P4/G5
Power 4 starters
G5/FCS
Mid-major starter
Developmental
Depth/project player
Traditional services rate talent only. We add momentum, scarcity, and stability. A 4⭐ recruit by consensus might be 3⭐ PrepRanks if they play a common position with declining momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why might a 3-star kicker rank higher than a 5-star wide receiver?
Because elite kickers are incredibly rare. There might be 300 highly-rated wide receivers in a recruiting class, but only 5-10 elite kickers. Our position scarcity factor ensures rare positions get proper recognition, reflecting real recruiting value.
How is PrepRanks different from ON3/247Sports/Rivals/ESPN?
Key differences:
- True Composite: We combine all 4 major services with weighted averaging
- 5-Component Scoring: We add momentum, scarcity, consensus, and elite recognition to star ratings
- Sport-Specific Intelligence: Football and basketball metrics tailored to each sport's unique dynamics
- Transparent Methodology: Our algorithms are fully documented and reproducible
What does "rank momentum" mean?
Momentum tracks how a recruit's ranking is changing over time. If a player moved from #300 to #200 in 6 months, that's strong positive momentum worth up to +25 points. It signals breakout performance.
Can I still filter by traditional star ratings?
Absolutely. We display both our PrepRanks composite score AND traditional 5-star ratings on every recruit profile. You can filter and sort by either metric.
Explore PrepRanks
See our methodology in action with rankings that combine talent, momentum, scarcity, and consensus