re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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3) Included in the proposed rule changes is an opportunity for players to take official visits from April to June before their senior year, which is another good thing. Official visits have always been allowed between the start of a player’s senior year of high school and the last visit weekend in January, obviously a busy time of year for players juggling a football season, academics, all-star games and the like. Now with the opportunity to take official visits in the spring, clearly a much less hectic time, recruits can better utilize all five of their official visits rather than trying to cram them in during the season or in the mad rush towards that Wednesday in February.

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5) I’ve covered numerous prospects over the years committed to mid-level FBS schools who received an offer from a power program late and flipped. Now, coaches can also know where they stand with recruits, equally important in this process or perhaps moreso. If a player has been committed to you for a year but he won’t sign an NLI in December and wants to take his official visits, you as a coaching staff now have a choice. Either you continue to pursue him knowing he wants to date others while being “committed” or you can drop him and move on. Or, with this early knowledge, you can at the very least start recruiting others at his position so you don’t get stuck if he flips later.

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Big changes appear to be coming to the football recruiting calendar, and that's largely a positive several Alabama high school coaches told AL.com

The NCAA Division I Council approved a recommendation for a football early signing period today, which would allow seniors to sign during a 72-hour period beginning the third Wednesday of December.

The Collegiate Commissioners Association, which governs the National Letter of Intent program, must also sign off on the change at its June meeting before it can take effect. Currently, players cannot sign until the first Wednesday in February.

"Anything that gives our kids an opportunity to do what's best for them, I'm in absolute support of," James Clemens coach Wade Waldrop said. "It's just another opportunity for a high school athlete to take care of their business sooner than February. It gives those kids more security and more opportunity to make those decisions quicker and do what's best for them quicker and not be hanging on longer."

Waldrop's 2017 class included SEC signees LaBryan Ray (Alabama), Kyriq McDonald (Alabama, early enrollee) and Monty Rice (Georgia, after a late flip from LSU).

"A kid doesn't have to sign on that (December) date," Waldrop said. "Nobody is making them sign on that date. But if that option is on the table, and a kid knows what they want to do, then I think it's great that they're going to have the opportunity to do that."

Daphne coach and former Alabama defensive lineman Kenny King said the December date would have intrigued him as a high school player.

"I think I would have (signed early)," he said. "I think it would be good to go and get it behind you and focus on the job at hand."

Davidson coach Fred Riley, who spent nine years in the college ranks during the 1980s, noted that an early signing date falls in line with the increasing popularity of early enrollment.

"I have no problem with the December date," he said. "I don't see a big deal with it, one way or the other. The last few years, a lot of our kids have graduated in December anyhow and moved on, so it's beneficial for them. I don't see it affecting how we do things at all."

The early signing period would appear to benefit mid-major teams whose commitments are sometimes poached by Power Five programs in the lead up to National Signing Day.

"Some coaches are going to be glad because you don't lose as many guys toward the end of the signing period," Riley said, "where you have to go back and try to figure out which direction you're going to go. It gives them a chance, right before the new year, to regroup and say, 'OK, we've lost our top quarterback prospect. We're going to pursue our second one as hard as we can. Who's the next one we're really going to go for and do we have a chance to get him?' It makes recruiting meetings a little different in terms of how they make those type decisions."

One drawback to an earlier signing date is that the college coaching carousel tends to be very active during December and January. A player who signs early could find himself bound to a school with a new coaching staff that he never interacted with.

"You can preach and preach to the kids, 'Don't go somewhere because of a coach,'" Thompson coach Mark Freeman said, "but there's certain coaches who draw a kid because of their success and character. Those guys are professionals at what they do. The recruiting process with these big schools is a very organized system of knowing what to say and how to say it. I think kids get taken in by it even with the advice your give."

As part of the NCAA proposal, a first window for official visits would run from April of a player's junior year through the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June. Under current rules, players cannot take an official visit until their first day of senior classes.

Freeman, who likes the December signing date, said he couldn't fully agree with earlier visitation periods.

"I like the way it used to be when the kids were seniors and colleges could come through and recruit them," he said. "Now you see eighth graders getting offers. It takes a mature kid to handle that exposure. I don't feel good with anything that disrupts the total team. The thing that worries me is it almost feels like we're starting to individualize high school football. I hate that because what I love about coaching is building character and all the cohesiveness of being team that I feel goes a lot further with them in their life."

There had also been debate about adding an early signing period in June prior to a player's senior year, but that proposal was voted down.

"The summer date was an issue for all of us," Riley said. "What's to keep a kid from saying, 'Well, I've got my scholarship. I'm not going to play for my high school this year.'? Or they get halfway through the season, the season is going bad and they decide to do what some of these kids have done in college and not play in the bowl game. That was a recipe for disaster."

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Spotted on sidelines at the Alabama scrimmage: Stanford QB commit Jack West.

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1. Mustapha Muhammad, Ridge Point (Texas)

Muhammad is what you are looking for in a tight end prospect and will be coming out of high school in more of the Jermaine Gresham mold. He is a top-level pass catcher at the position. He is long and lean. He has long arms and big hands to help him make the tough catches. He also has soft hands. He runs good routes and is able to get open. He will create a lot of mismatches when the team is looking to pick up a key third down or needs to find someone to finish off drives in the red-zone. He now has 35 offers from top programs across the country. 

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3. Glenn Beal, River Ridge (La.) John Curtis

Beal possesses outstanding size -- college-ready, in fact -- thanks to his large frame and impressive bulk for a young prospect. Beal comes from a run-oriented offense and is true in-line tight end prospect with ample blocking experience. Beal is an above average athlete considering his size. He could play Power Five-level football on either side of the ball, though he appears to want to stay at tight end. Beal can seal the edge and win matchups in the run game. He can improve his technique as a blocker and a route-runner. He will also need to acclimate to a more pass-heavy offense when he transitions to the next level, but Beal possesses the physical traits to create serious matchup issues once he develops that part of his game. Offers from schools like Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Mississippi.

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OHIO STATE

Nobody is hosting a better collection of talent than Ohio State.

The rundown starts with the best of the best, five players that rank No. 1 at their respective positions either by 247Sports or the 247Sports Composite.

The Buckeyes will take their swing at running back Zamir White while offensive tackle Jackson Carman returns to campus for an overnight visit. Cornerback Anthony Cook makes his way up from the Lone Star State as the Buckeyes aim to sign the top prospect from Texas which is coincidentally a cornerback for a second year in a row. Outside linebacker Dallas Gant is probably taking his last look at Ohio State before his May decision. Penn State defensive end commit Micah Parsons has not made it any secret that he is high on OSU.

The 247Sports Crystal Ball is all Georgia for White but there are some around the Buckeyes program that feel OSU is in the thick of this as White returns for his third visit to Columbus.

Meanwhile Carman recently named Clemson his leader but the 247Sports Crystal Ball didn’t really budge for the No. 1 recruit in Ohio. I’d still be surprised to see him sign anywhere but with the Buckeyes, but if any program is capable of pulling Carman out of Ohio it is indeed Clemson.

Cook’s interest in the Buckeyes is very legit. My 247Sports Crystal Ball forecast in favor of LSU is very old. Clemson, LSU, TCU and Texas are among the other contenders.

My gut continues to say Notre Dame for Gant but he’ll return with both his parents for another look. Sources indicated earlier in the process that Ohio State led so we’ll see if Urban Meyer and company can move back into pole position. Michigan State, Penn State and Michigan are also in play.

My thought right now is that Parsons sticks but this will continue to be a storyline to follow.

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More prominent names in Columbus include a pair of interior linemen are there for the taking if Ohio State pushes for them in four-star offensive guard Fredrick Scruggs and center target Jake Kradel. Scruggs is also strongly considering Penn State while Kradel recently told 247Sports he’s high on Maryland and Pittsburgh as well.

Another four-star running back comes to campus in Tavion Thomas. That’s still an evolving situation between Ohio State and Thomas but if the stars align the Buckeyes will be tough to beat.

Ohio State will have a chance to move ahead of Georgia for the country’s No. 2 strong-side defensive end Brenton Cox, and the Buckeyes are also in the top two alongside Penn State for Top247 defensive end Tyreke Smith.

The Buckeyes are the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite for another in-state defensive end in Aeneas Hawkins who heads West for to see USC and UCLA on Wednesday. Penn State is again probably the main competition at this point.

Greg Schiano would love to sign Top247 safety Amari Burney so that’s one the Buckeyes could swipe from the Sunshine State and away from Florida.

Top247 linebacker Xavier Peters is waiting on an Ohio State offer. If he lands it, the Buckeyes will be tough to beat.

We’ll know more about where Ohio State stands with cornerback Jaycee Horn and Top247 athlete Jordyn Adams following the weekend.

Ohio State has the nation’s No. 9 recruiting class with all five commits ranking inside the Top100. Emory Jones, Jaiden Woodbey and Jaelen Gill are expected on campus for the spring game as well.

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