Rivals Introduced Paid Athlete Evaluation Service

Families of high school athletes can now pay $500 for a professional scouting report and ranking consideration.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Secondary Education

Rivals Introduced Paid Athlete Evaluation Service

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Do you support recruiting sites charging high school athletes a fee to be evaluated?

Recruiting site Rivals has launched a program called Rivals Recruits that offers scouting evaluations to high school athletes for a $500 fee. This service is open to participants across all collegiate divisions, including FBS, FCS, Division II, NAIA, and Division III.

Why it matters

The program intends to address a capacity gap in the recruiting evaluation system by providing opportunities for a larger portion of the high school athlete population to get evaluated. It offers families a way to secure scouting reports, though payment does not guarantee any specific star rating or designation.

The new Rivals Recruits service costs $500 per athlete, standing in contrast to the typical 6,600 prospects who hold star ratings across three classes. The platform serves a market where only 0.6% of players currently receive such recognition.

The players

Rivals

A prominent national recruiting site that provides high school scouting reports and rankings for collegiate athletics.

On3

A media company focused on collegiate recruiting and name, image, and likeness (NIL) news that acquired Rivals in 2025.

The details

To use the service, athletes must create a verified profile on the site and upload their game film and performance statistics. Once submitted, scouts review the materials to generate a formal scouting report and evaluation grade for the athlete. The process is designed to broaden the reach of evaluations beyond the traditional scouting limitations.

On3 acquired the recruiting site Rivals in 2025.
Rivals announced the Rivals Recruits program on September 24, 2026.

The Home Front

This move reflects a shift in the youth sports industry toward paid services to mitigate gaps in traditional scouting capacity. It directly challenges the historical trend where only a tiny fraction of the 1 million high school football participants received professional evaluation.

If you are considering this service, review your athlete's current film and statistics to ensure they are high-quality before uploading them to the platform. Keep in mind that payment provides a report but does not influence or guarantee a star rating.

The takeaway

While this program offers a potential path for athletes to gain visibility, it remains a discretionary expense rather than a formal recruiting necessity. Families should carefully consider their long-term athletic goals and budget before enrolling in any third-party evaluation service.