In DIIII can Playing Time, Practice Time and High Potential overcome 16 WE? He ok starting number (37-42) and high potential at all his core spots.

And will a the 16WE go even lower if I try to redshirt him? Any tips on signing him as a red shirt as a low ranked school? 

Thanks

From my limited experience, and from what I've gathered from these boards, I'd say starting him is the quickest way to increase his WE. I don't think you'll reach your potential if you don't get his WE up some more. Playing time will increase his WE, but not as fast as starting him. I realize that your team may not allow for him to start, especially if you want to win now, but something to think about. I've started guys like this in the past, and set him to fairly fresh, so he doesn't play many minutes. I don't think starting WE has an affect on whether he'll accept the redshirt without a drop. As far as signing him as a low ranked school, I would suggest getting him interested in you early, so another school is less likely to battle with you for the recruit. At DIII, teams are less likely to battle over recruits, as there are plenty of recruits who fall roughly into the same talent/potential level. Once you think you're solid with the recruit, and the scholarship message favors you, I'd try the redshirt. Worse case, he flat out rejects it, and you have to send another Home Visit to get back to where you were before offering the RS. That's just my thoughts though.

Agree with sloth, except that starting him and using target minutes can be an effective way to keep his minutes down if you're in "win now" mode

16 is pretty low. If you're in a rebuild and can start him and play 20+ minutes for four years, it might be worth your while. (or redshirt a year, then start him the next four). If you're trying to win now I wouldn't sign him.

I had a SG with 13WE and did the start him AND play him decent minutes (15 or so), for his frosh year and it bumped him to 18-19WE or so. He finished with WE around 27-28-29 I believe, might have cracked 30.

I said I'd never do that again, he wasn't RS'd ever, (I needed him his SO year so that was out of the question) and didn't max out either. 

Only do it if you have to (and are not in "win now"), or don't want a 2nd or 3rd walk on.

If you're in a win now mode, get him to accept a RS during recruiting and then you can start him his RS frosh season and you should be fine.  He might not reach his full potential, but he should be close enough that it won't matter.  But if you can't RS him (and you need to win now), then I think I'd pass.

You can expect about 4-5 of growth in a blue skill with about 15 minutes of playing time and 20 minutes of practice for a dude witha 16 WE.