A feature on this site that I don't understand.

You seasoned coaches... How do you use it? For recruiting purposes? When I go into recruiting I have a pretty good idea of which specific skills I need to fill on my roster without setting any player roles.

Should I be using it? How helpful is it?

I have completely ignored it. 

Maybe that's not the best idea.  I may re-visit it.

Generally, i can see it may help with depth chart decisions.

as far as recruiting, since it doesn't factor in potential, I think it's meaningless.

Short answers: seasoned coaches don't use it...not at all...you need not bother with it...it is only marginal useful in particular circumstances.

You can define a "player role".  I made a custom 1-5 definitions.  You can call back to those defined roles by going to recruiting search and clicking on Overall Rating and changing it to one of your defined roles (rather than "Total").  That will then sort your search list by % match with the defined role.   I play with those from time to time.

The problem is that the whole ballgame of recruiting is projecting how the recruit will develop based on their potential to improve.  When you are recruiting freshmen, you shouldn't care very much how much they match the role you are trying to fill.  You only care how much they match the role once developed (say, as juniors & seniors).   Since it doesn't help you make that projection, it isn't all that useful for freshmen recruits.

I think its just another tool to find players, though i still prefer to use the search options to find guys that fit the roles i want.

I have used player roles when I just can't seem to find someone to my liking, it might kick back a guy who falls JUST under your minumums but other wise is a good player.

But yes, since it doesn't factor in potential you can use it to find players, but not use it to make any other decisions.

it could do that by allow you to enter values for the different levels of potential and just showing maximum projection like yatzr's tool will, if they did, they would be much more useful. As is they might have value in helping newer coaches set lineups or whatnot, but probably not since the value of the tool is largely limited by how accurately you program the category values for your sets - if you think ath is worth half what it really is your formula and player roles values will be out of line with reality and pretty much useless. I think there is enough possibility to be far enough off in most places to render it largely irrelevant.

Does anyone else find it interesting that WIS values LP at 17 and PER at 7 for PFs and LP at 15 and PER at 9 for Centers? I'd think it was the exact opposite if anything

I've talked about this before--and I know I'm in the vast minority here--but I very much like using player roles during recruiting.  Not to identify the best players, since it doesn't consider potential, but as another way to filter/search and decide where to FSS.

e.g. I can sort nationwide by my "defensive SF" player role and immediately see a nice list of un-scouted potential targets.  I could get the same thing by sorting Def or Ath or using the filters to make a very specific search, but a defensive SF can come in different shapes and sizes (and someone else mentioned the problem of players barely missing your filters).  The player role does a nice job of rolling it into one number and not barely cutting people off the list.

I find that especially useful 1. before recruiting when I'm thinking about which states to FSS, and 2. late in recruiting when I'm looking for one last player and trying to decide on FSS'ing additional states.

i can see some value in that kb

I use it in some recruiting situations if I have a particular need and trying conserve as much $$$ as posible due to being in a battle, helps me narrow down the FSS too, or just looking for a strong role player in that particular role.  I've actually found it quite useful. --- i just looked up, kind of like Killbatman 

Kb has a point for recruiting. I've never used it for recruiting purposes, but occasionally, I'll use it for depth chart purposes.