Getting Started

Build Your First Card
in 5 Minutes

Create your digital card, add your stats, pick your avatar and share it with coaches instantly.

5 min to build
0 cost — 100% free
1,200+ scouts waiting
1 link shares everything
Start Building Now Full Recruiting Guide
1
Step 1 · ~30 sec

Create Your Free Account

Sign up with your email to get a permanent home for your recruiting profile. Your card stays live 24/7 — any coach, any device, anywhere. Already have an account? Sign in and pick up where you left off.

Sign Up with Email

Takes 30 seconds. Enter your name, email, and a password. A confirmation link will be sent to verify your address.

Try Demo Mode First

Not ready to sign up? Hit "Try Demo Mode" to explore the full platform as Malcolm Steadman — no email needed.

Use your real name when signing up — that's the name that will appear on your card and in the scout portal. Coaches run name searches, so accuracy matters.

Create Free Account Try Demo First
2
Step 2 · ~2 min

Fill In Your Basic Info

These fields are the backbone of your card. They're what scouts use to filter results — leaving any of them blank removes you from those search results entirely. Fill them all in before moving on.

Full Name e.g. Marcus T. Johnson Required
Sport e.g. Basketball Required
Position e.g. Point Guard — be specific! Required
High School e.g. Lincoln High School, Austin, TX Required
Grad Year e.g. 2026 Required
Recruit Level D1 / D2 / D3 / JUCO / NAIA Required
Height / Weight e.g. 6'2" · 185 lbs Recommended
Bio "Marcus is a two-way guard known for..." Recommended

Bio tip: Write in third person, keep it to 3–4 sentences. Cover your playing style, your biggest achievement, and what type of program you're looking for. This is what coaches read when they're on the fence about reaching out.

Open Card Builder
3
Step 3 · ~1 min

Add Your Stats & GPA

Stats are how coaches rank prospects before they ever watch video. Enter your most recent season averages — not career bests, not single-game highs. Real, honest numbers build trust. Inflated stats get flagged immediately by experienced scouts.

🏀
Your Name Here
Position · Sport
D1 2026 Your State
–
PPG
–
RPG
–
GPA

Type above to preview your card live — then build the real thing in the card builder.

Never inflate your stats. Coaches cross-reference with game film, MaxPreps, and direct calls to your high school coach. Getting caught in an exaggeration destroys your credibility permanently with that program.

4
Step 4 · ~1 min

Add Your Highlight Reel

This is the single most impactful field on your card. Athletes with a highlight reel get 3× more coach inquiries than those without. Paste a YouTube or Vimeo link — that's all it takes.

Highlight Reel https://youtube.com/watch?v=... Required
Full Game #1 Label + YouTube link · e.g. "State Semifinals" Optional
Full Game #2 Label + YouTube link · e.g. "vs. #1 Ranked" Optional
Full Game #3 Label + YouTube link Optional

Don't have a highlight reel yet? Upload your best game clips to YouTube as an unlisted video — coaches can view it with the link, but it won't show up in public YouTube searches. Use free tools like CapCut or iMovie to cut and combine clips.

Pro move: Label your full game videos with context — "State Championship, Q4" or "vs. #3 Ranked Team." Coaches prioritize high-stakes footage because it shows how you perform under pressure.

5
Step 5 · ~20 sec

Pick Your Avatar

Your avatar is the face of your card. Choose an emoji that represents your sport and personality — it shows up in the Scout Portal grid and on your shareable card. Tap one to select it and watch the card preview update.

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Basketball
🏈
Football
⚽
Soccer
⚾
Baseball
🥎
Softball
🏊
Swimming
🎾
Tennis
🏐
Volleyball
🏃
Track
🤸
Gymnastics
🏋️
Weightlifting
🤼
Wrestling
🥊
Boxing
🏒
Hockey
⚡
All Sports

Your avatar is your brand. In the Scout Portal, coaches scan a grid of athlete cards. A sport-matching emoji makes your card instantly recognizable at a glance — especially when coaches are filtering by a specific sport.

6
Step 6 · ~1 min

Activate Your Power-Ups

These optional features take less than a minute to set up but dramatically increase your card's strength and visibility in the scout portal. Check off what applies to you.

🏅 NCAA Qualifier Badge — Toggle this ON if you've met NCAA clearing house requirements. It adds a gold badge to your card and makes you filterable in the scout portal under "NCAA Qualifier."
High Impact
🔒 Password-Protected Transcript — Paste your transcript URL and set a password. Coaches see a locked button on your card — share the password only with programs you're serious about.
Trust Signal
🎬 Full Game Videos (up to 3) — Add YouTube links with custom labels. Serious coaches want to watch full games — this separates you from athletes who only show curated highlights.
Depth Signal
🏆 Awards & Honors — Add All-State, MVP, or academic award details. These are the quotes coaches use to justify a scholarship offer to their Athletic Director.
Social Proof

Completeness = higher ranking. The scout portal surfaces more complete cards higher in search results. Every field you fill in is a ranking signal. Four power-ups checked = top of the stack.

7
Step 7 · ~1 min

Share Your Card & Go Live

Your card is published the moment you save it. Every coach, scout, and recruiter who visits your link sees a live, always-up-to-date version of your profile. Here's how to get it in front of the right people — fast.

Keep it updated. Set a reminder at the end of every season to refresh your stats and highlight reel. A current card with this season's numbers is worth 10× more than a stale one from two years ago.

Save & Publish My Card

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything first-time users ask before building their card.

Is DraftReady.AI™ really free?
Yes — building and publishing your card is 100% free. Your card stays live, appears in the scout portal, and is shareable with any coach at no cost. There are no hidden fees or expiration dates on your profile.
Do I need to upload a photo?
No photo upload is required. You choose an emoji avatar that represents your sport. This keeps things fast and avoids any file upload friction — coaches care far more about your stats and highlight reel than a headshot.
Will actual college coaches see my card?
Your card is indexed in the DraftReady.AI™ Scout Portal the moment you save it. Coaches and scouts who use the portal can search by sport, position, GPA, state, graduation year, and NCAA qualifier status. Additionally, any coach you directly email your card link to can view it immediately — no login required on their end.
What if I don't have a highlight reel yet?
Build your card now with all your other information and add the highlight reel when it's ready. An incomplete card is still better than no card — and you can update your profile any time. To make a quick reel, film your best practice moments on a phone, edit with CapCut (free), and upload to YouTube as an unlisted video.
Can I update my card after I build it?
Absolutely — you can update your card any time. Your card link stays the same so coaches who already have it will always see your most current information. We recommend updating your stats and highlight reel at the end of every season.
What does the NCAA Qualifier badge mean?
The NCAA Qualifier badge signals to coaches that you have met the NCAA Eligibility Center requirements (GPA, test scores, core course credits). Toggle it ON only if you've actually been cleared or are on track to be cleared. It makes you filterable in the scout portal for coaches who specifically need a cleared athlete.
How does the password-protected transcript work?
You paste your transcript URL (hosted on Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) and set a custom password in the card builder. Your public card shows a locked "View Academic Transcript" button. Only coaches you give the password to can unlock and view the document — so you control who sees your academic records and it filters out non-serious inquiries.
How is DraftReady.AI™ different from other recruiting platforms?
Most recruiting platforms charge monthly fees, are slow to set up, and bury your profile in a sea of paid subscribers. DraftReady.AI™ is free, takes 5 minutes, and gives you a direct shareable link you can paste anywhere — email, social bio, or printed on a QR code card. It's designed to be the fastest, cleanest way to get your profile in front of a coach.
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You're 5 Minutes Away

Your card is free, takes 5 minutes to build, and coaches are searching the portal right now. Don't let them find someone else's profile where yours should be.