Understanding PFF Scores: The Recruiting Metric That Actually Matters

By DeJon Jernagin, CA-Recruits

Let me tell you something about recruiting that most families don’t understand until it’s too late: college coaches don’t care about your highlight reel nearly as much as you think they do. They care about consistency. They care about what you do on every single play, not just the three touchdowns you scored against the worst team in your league.

That’s where Pro Football Focus comes in, and if you’re serious about playing college football, you better understand what PFF scores mean and why coaches are using them to evaluate talent.

What PFF Actually Measures

PFF (Pro Football Focus) isn’t some new-age analytics company trying to replace the eye test. They’re doing what good coaches have always done—breaking down every single play and grading performance. The difference? They’re doing it systematically for thousands of players, creating a database that college programs use as part of their recruiting intelligence.

Here’s the breakdown:

The Grading Scale (-2 to +2)

Every play you’re involved in gets graded on a scale from -2 to +2 in half-point increments. Think of it like this:

  • 0 = You did your job. No more, no less. You executed your assignment.
  • +1 or +2 = Above average to exceptional. You made a play that impacted the game positively beyond your basic assignment.
  • -1 or -2 = Below average to poor. You failed your assignment or got beat badly.

In my playing days, we didn’t have fancy numbers, but we had film sessions where every mistake got magnified on that big screen. PFF is essentially that same film session, except now there’s a numerical grade attached to every rep.

The Overall Grade (0-100 Scale)

After grading every play you’re involved in, those raw scores get normalized into a 0-100 scale that looks like this:

  • 90-100: Elite – You’re in rare company. This is All-American, NFL Draft conversation territory.
  • 80-89.9: Very Good – You’re a difference-maker. Power Five coaches are paying attention.
  • 70-79.9: Above Average – You’re a solid college prospect. FCS, Group of Five, upper-level D2 programs want to talk.
  • 60-69.9: Average – You can play college ball somewhere, but you need to be realistic about level.
  • 50-59.9: Below Average – You’re going to need other factors (size, measurables, potential) to get looks.
  • <50: Poor – Time for an honest conversation about realistic expectations.

Why Position-Specific Grading Matters

This is where PFF earns its respect in the coaching community. They don’t grade a quarterback the same way they grade a left tackle. They understand football.

A quarterback gets evaluated on decision-making, accuracy, pocket presence, and reading defenses—not just whether he threw a touchdown. An offensive lineman gets graded on blocking technique, footwork, and winning individual battles—not whether his running back scored.

When I played, scouts understood this instinctively. They knew a receiver could have 10 catches and 150 yards but still play poorly if he ran the wrong routes, gave up on blocks, or made the quarterback’s job harder. PFF quantifies that understanding.

The Recruiting Reality: Film Don’t Lie

Here’s what I tell every family at CA-Recruits: stats lie, but film tells the truth. PFF bridges that gap.

You can have gaudy stats playing in a system designed to inflate numbers. You can look great on MaxPreps because your team played weak competition. But PFF grades every play against sound football fundamentals, regardless of opponent.

College coaches know this. They’re not just watching your highlights anymore—they’re looking at your PFF grade to see if you’re consistently doing your job, play after play, regardless of whether the ball came your way.

What Coaches Are Actually Evaluating:

  1. Consistency – Can you execute your assignment 60+ plays per game?
  2. Football IQ – Do you understand your role and execute it correctly?
  3. Competitive toughness – Do you finish blocks? Chase down plays? Compete when the ball isn’t near you?
  4. Coachability potential – Are you doing fundamentals correctly, or will they have to rebuild you?

The Subjective vs. Objective Debate

Now, PFF grades are subjective—they admit that. Trained analysts are watching film and making judgment calls. But here’s the thing: college recruiting is subjective too. Every coach watching your film is making subjective evaluations about your technique, effort, and potential.

PFF just creates a standardized framework for that subjectivity, which actually helps level the playing field for players who might not have connections or exposure.

How to Actually Improve Your PFF Grade

This isn’t about gaming a system. This is about becoming a better football player:

  1. Master Your Assignment – If you’re consistently grading 0, you’re doing your job. That’s the foundation.
  2. Study Film Religiously – Understand what your position demands. Watch yourself critically.
  3. Focus on Every Play – That play on the backside of the formation? The one where you thought you could take off? Coaches are watching. PFF is grading it.
  4. Improve Your Technique – Poor grades often come from poor fundamentals. Get coached up.
  5. Show Competitive Stamina – Your grade in the fourth quarter matters as much as first quarter. Elite players finish strong.

The Transfer Portal Effect

Here’s the recruiting landscape reality in 2024: the Transfer Portal has made PFF scores even more important. College coaches can now compare your high school PFF grade against college players who already have proven game film at a higher level.

You’re not just competing against other high school prospects anymore—you’re competing against college players with established track records. Your PFF grade better tell a story of consistency and upward trajectory.

What Parents Need to Understand

I meet families every week who are frustrated because their son has great stats but isn’t getting recruited. Nine times out of ten, when we look at the film with objective eyes, we see a player who’s not consistently executing fundamentals.

PFF grades force that honest evaluation. A 55 PFF grade doesn’t mean your son can’t play college football—it means you need to adjust expectations about what level fits his current ability and what he needs to improve.

The Bottom Line

PFF scores aren’t perfect, but they’re a tool that brings objectivity to a subjective process. They measure what good coaches have always valued: consistency, technique, and playing the game the right way on every single snap.

If you’re serious about getting recruited, you should:

  • Request your PFF grade if you played in games that were charted
  • Watch your film with PFF principles in mind – grade yourself honestly on every play
  • Understand what the numbers mean for your recruiting level
  • Focus on becoming a more complete player, not just a highlight factory

Remember: we don’t sell dreams at CA-Recruits. We develop plans. Understanding PFF scores is part of building a realistic recruiting plan based on objective evaluation, not hope and hype.

The coaches watching you aren’t just counting your stats—they’re grading every play. Make sure when they grade you, they see a player who’s coachable, consistent, and competing at a high level, regardless of whether you touch the ball.

That’s what separates players who get recruited from players who get forgotten.

About the Author: DeJon Jernagin is a former professional athlete and founder of CA-Recruits, a recruiting service built on honest evaluation and realistic planning. With years of experience in both playing and evaluating talent, DeJon helps families navigate the college recruiting process with truth, not false promises.