National Signing Day 2025 preview: Storylines worth tracking as February’s big day loses luster

With the move during the signing class of 2018 to offer an early signing period for the first time in December 2017, more and more players have inked their commitments in December rather than on the traditional signing day, the first Wednesday of February.

This was the eighth year the early signing period took place in December and it was ran Dec. 4-6, the earliest ever in NCAA history. 

Thanks to significant changes in the Division I recruiting calendar, this year’s traditional National Signing period has lost much of its pomp and circumstance.

Where is the excitement?

Fax machines? Long gone. Wednesday announcements on television? Done. Wednesday announcements, period? Also adios. Even the national letter of intent, signed every year prior, is gone, replaced by new documents.

With the NCAA eliminating national letters of intent, recruits now sign financial aid agreements. Pending approval of revenue-sharing measures expected to begin with the 2025-26 school year, recruits could also be signing contracts outlining expected revenue from their respective universities, depending on the school.

Name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals continue to be a driving factor, and this class is no exception. Embedding NIL into official contracts was thought to reduce post-signing drama.

Once a player signs an FAA, schools are prohibited from contacting them unless the player is released from the agreement or enters the transfer portal. Schools caught contacting a signed recruit could face tampering allegations.

Oregon felt that firsthand as two players they signed in December ultimately ended up elsewhere. Five-star receiver Dallas Wilson, who they held on to following a late charge from Florida on signing day and signed with the Ducks,…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/national-signing-day-2025-preview-storylines-worth-tracking-as-februarys-big-day-loses-luster/

Author : Brandon Huffman

Publish date : 2025-02-03 16:56:00

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