Sports Highlight Video Trends Supported by Recruiting Analytics
I’ve spent years analyzing recruiting data, coach viewing behavior, and athlete performance metrics, and one thing is clear: sports highlight videos are no longer subjective. Today’s most effective videos are shaped by recruiting analytics, not guesswork. Coaches’ viewing habits, engagement data, and decision timelines now directly influence how athletes should structure, edit, and distribute their highlights. What follows are the most important highlight video trends I see consistently supported by recruiting analytics—and how athletes can apply them. Early Impact Matters More Than Ever Recruiting data shows that most coaches decide whether to keep watching within the first 20 seconds. Because of this, the strongest trend is front-loading elite plays. I consistently see higher engagement when an athlete highlight video built specifically for college recruiting opens with game-changing moments rather than introductions or logos. Athletes who delay their best clips risk lo...