The college football recruiting world is preparing for the 2018-2019 Early Signing Period. Here’s everything you need to know to follow along.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football. Every program across the nation has to continue to bring talent in, coach them up and put them on the field in order to win games. That process is nearing its culmination as the first of two signing windows draws near. The Early Signing Period comes first. What is it? When is it? How does it impact the college football landscape?
What is it?
The concept of multiple signing periods is not new to college athletics, but football has only utilized the early window once before this year. 2017 marked the first Early Signing Period for football, in which athletes can sign their National Letter of Intent and make their previous verbal commitments binding.
When is it?
The 2018 Early Signing Period begins on Wednesday, Dec. 19 and ends on Friday, Dec. 22. All recruits that do not sign at the end of this period must wait until National Signing Day on Feb. 6.
How does this impact recruiting?
The recruiting cycle has been accelerated with the addition of early signing. Most FBS programs played their final game on the last weekend of November, giving them three weekends to nail down a recruiting class which will be on campus for the next four years. Those schools playing in conference championship games or early bowl games, which begin Dec. 15, are further disadvantaged.
According to the NCAA, 90 percent of all future FBS players and 70 percent of the nation’s top 250 players elected to sign during the early window last year. That takes a wide swath of eligible players off the market, amplifying every recruiting battle between then and National Signing Day.