Optimum Grading

What Optimum Grading does

Optimum Grading is a privately held LLC founded in 2021 and headquartered in McCook, Illinois. It develops football player grading software built on a proprietary scoring methodology called the Optimum Grading Index (OGI), which the company describes as 100% film-verified. The company distributes two product lines: Optimum360, targeted at football coaching staffs and team programs, and Prospect Edge, aimed at individual athletes, scouts, and recruiters. The platform is integrated with established football video and tracking systems including Hudl, Catapult, DVSport, and Qwikcut, positioning the product as a workflow layer that ingests existing game film and produces standardized player evaluations.

The company's go-to-market is segmented: institutional sales to high school, college, and professional football programs (350+ reported customers), supplemented by individual subscriptions via Prospect Edge. In 2024, Optimum Grading extended into hardware with a Video Player Controller sold at $109.99 through direct e-commerce, layering a transactional revenue stream on top of its SaaS base. The company has also pursued partnership-led distribution via Pylon 7on7 (youth/7-on-7) and NCMFC (diversity-focused football programs).

Operationally, Optimum Grading is a bootstrapped, founder-led business with 7 reported employees. No external funding, revenue, or valuation has been disclosed. Its founder, Kingsley Osei, is a former NFL player (Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers), providing domain credibility and direct network access within the football coaching ecosystem.

Name

Optimum Grading

Legal name

Optimum Grading LLC

Website

https://optimumgrading.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Optimum Grading is a bootstrapped Illinois-based SaaS company that sells football player grading software (Optimum360 for teams, Prospect Edge for individuals) built on its proprietary OGI scoring algorithm, serving 350+ football programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Optimum360 Subscription: SaaS subscription model for teams and coaching staffs providing play-by-play grading, player development reports, and recruiting transcript generation. Includes self and opponent scouting tools with Hudl/Catapult/DVSport integration.
2. Prospect Edge Subscription: SaaS subscription for individual athletes, scouts, and recruiters to grade games, events, and drills; build prospect rankings and profiles; generate recruit-ready scouting reports; compare players side-by-side.
3. Hardware Sales: Sale of Optimum Grading Video Player Controller - a physical remote device designed for coaches needing hands-free film control with play/pause, fast forward/rewind, camera angle switch, and built-in laser pointer.
4. Bundle Pricing: Combined pricing for college programs using both Optimum360 and Prospect Edge for coaching and recruiting purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Optimum Grading sells two cloud-based SaaS platforms—Optimum360 for coaches and teams, and Prospect Edge for individual athletes, scouts, and recruiters—that enable play-by-play football player grading directly from game film with fully customizable position-specific criteria. Every data point is linked to its corresponding film clip, and a proprietary Optimum Grading Index (OGI) algorithm produces standardized, comparable player scores. The company also sells the Optimum Grading Video Player Controller hardware remote for hands-free film control.

Product overview

Optimum Grading is an industry-leading football player grading software company offering two core products: Optimum360 (for coaches and teams) and Prospect Edge (for players, scouts, and recruiters). The platform enables play-by-play grading directly from game film with every data point linked to video. The Optimum Grading Index (OGI) provides a proprietary scoring algorithm for standardized player evaluation across schools and regions. The company also sells the Optimum Grading Video Player Controller hardware as an accessory. Both products integrate with major film platforms (Hudl, Catapult, DVSport, Qwikcut) and generate film-linked player reports and recruiting transcripts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Optimum360: Platform for coaches and teams to grade players play-by-play as they watch film, generate on-field transcripts, and develop players with data-driven reports.
• Prospect Edge
• OGI (Optimum Grading Index)

Products and services

• Optimum360 A cloud-based football player grading SaaS platform for coaches and teams that enables play-by-play grading as users watch game film, with fully customizable criteria per position group, player development reports, and on-field transcripts for recruiting. Targets high school programs, college coaching staffs, and professional teams.
• Prospect Edge A scouting and player evaluation SaaS platform for individual athletes, scouts, and recruiters that enables grading games, events, and drills, building prospect rankings, generating recruit-ready scouting reports, comparing players side-by-side, and exporting verified on-field transcripts. Targets individual athletes in 7-on-7, AAU, and flag football, as well as scouts, recruiters, parents, and independent trainers.
• Optimum Grading Video Player Controller A hardware remote control device for coaches requiring hands-free film control during grading sessions, featuring play/pause, fast forward/rewind, slow motion, camera angle switching, and a built-in laser pointer. Sold as a one-time hardware purchase to complement the Optimum360 software.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40-50% faster grading compared to traditional manual methods
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Pylon 7on7coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational leader in competitive 7on7 events. Uses Prospect Edge to evaluate athletes and deliver data-verified, objective rankings for every player in their ecosystem. Co-marketing partnership driving adoption among elite youth football participants.
• QwikcutcoreTechnology or IntegrationFilm storage, sharing, and analysis platform. Integrated workflow with Optimum360 allowing seamless film transfer. Built to give teams the competitive edge with powerful, feature-packed film management combined with Optimum Grading's evaluation tools.
• NCMFC (National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization dedicated to removing roadblocks to coaching and management opportunities for minorities through education and professional development programming. Advocates for diversity in football coaching.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Catapult Sports: Global sports performance analytics company offering wearable + video analytics to professional and elite teams. Catapult acquired Krossover and competes in football video/performance evaluation, with broader resources and enterprise reach.
• Hudl: Dominant football and broader sports video platform serving the vast majority of US high school and college programs. Hudl is both an integration partner and the largest competitive threat, with adjacent grading/scouting features at massive distribution scale.
• DVSport: Established football and sports video platform with analytics and coaching tools, integrated directly with Optimum Grading. Competes for the same high school, college, and professional coaching workflows.

Others

• Krossover: Was a direct competitor in sports video analysis before being acquired by Catapult. Remains a comparable historical reference for Optimum Grading's go-to-market and product strategy.
• SportsRecruits: Recruiting platform for high school athletes targeting college programs. Adjacent rather than direct — overlaps with Prospect Edge on the athlete-recruiting side but does not provide grading/film analysis.
• NCSA (Next College Student Athlete): Largest US college athletic recruiting platform serving millions of high school athletes. Complementary to Optimum Grading's Prospect Edge in the recruiting funnel but does not perform grading or film-linked evaluation.
• TeamBuildr: Strength and conditioning / team management platform used by high school and college programs. Adjacent in serving the same coaching customer base but does not compete in film grading or recruiting transcripts.

Direct peers

• SkillShark: Athlete evaluation and grading software used across multiple youth sports. Closest direct peer in terms of a coach-facing evaluation/grading SaaS product with comparable customer base (coaches, academies, trainers).

Emerging players

• Veo Technologies: AI-powered sports video platform (automated camera + cloud analytics) primarily serving soccer but expanding into other sports. Competes with Optimum Grading for the AI-driven sports-video analysis workflow on a multi-sport basis.
• Trace: Youth sports video and highlights platform serving club and high school teams. Competes for the youth athlete video/evaluation workflow that Prospect Edge targets on the 7-on-7 and AAU side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optimum-grading

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Optimum Grading