An early signing day is officially coming to college football. The NCAA announced Friday morning that the Division 1 council will allow for two signing days for the upcoming recruiting cycle. Also announced by the NCAA, coaches will now be allowed to recruit and camps and clinics.
College football will still have the traditional first Wednesday in February signing day, however, now prospects have the option of signing before Christmas. The first signing date for the 2018 recruiting cycle will be Dec. 20, 2017. Prospects are expected to have 72 hours to sign during this window before the early signing day period closes.
DI Council allows early football signing period and coaches to recruit at camps and clinics, but restricts when and where they can occur. pic.twitter.com/tmL8aZcciB
— NCAA (@NCAA) April 14, 2017
While the tweet above seems to suggest the early signing day has already been approved, ESPN college football recruiting analyst Tom VanHaaren suggests that isn’t necessarily the case. The conference commissioners still need to approve the move (CAA stands for Conference Commissioners Association). The commissioners are scheduled to vote in June.
I spoke with someone from the NCAA re: the early signing period tweet. That tweet does not mean an early signing period is definitely (cont)
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) April 14, 2017
happening. That needs to be voted on by the commissioners. The NCAA tweet means the council is approving the change to the recruiting (cont)
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) April 14, 2017
calendar, not approving an early signing period. Only the CCA can create the actual signing period in December
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) April 14, 2017
So, essentially, there is no ruling yet on an early signing period, just allowing it to potentially happen.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) April 14, 2017
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
