When can a college approach a football player? I have heard of players as young as sophmores receiving letters. Is there a rule that is followed?

If players "initiate" the contact, via letters than a coaching staff can return with a letter and the usual college packets.

 

A college can't initially contact a player, until his Junior season.

Once they complete the 8th grade, they are now considered a freshmen and a prespective student athlete or recruit.

 

They can receive letters, but actual contact is limited by NCAA requirements to certain periods of time. You can actually look at the NCAA website and they have very specific time calendars for recruiting windows.

 

http://www.ncaa.org

 

Click on Academics and Athletics

Click on Eligibility & Recruiting

 

This is a great resource to learn about the rules & regs pertaining to student athlete recruitment and the differences for the various sports regulated by the NCAA (D1, D1AA, D2 & D3). This does not apply to NAIA schools who basically have no recruiting windows and can speak with or contact student athletes at virtually anytime during their high school careers.

Get your recruiting questions answered here: http://www2.ncaa.org/portal/legislation_and_governance/eligibility_and_recruiting