Oh how the times have changed. It used to be that high school players would wait until the February’s National Signing Day to make a big splash announcing their college choice. Flash forward to 2022 and many college prospects are enrolled in their school of choice by January.
There are a number of reasons the expedited recruiting plan has picked up steam. The early National Signing Day option in December; the earlier availability to take official college recruiting visits; and then there is the NCAA transfer portal.
The open transfer portal was somewhat brought on by the COVID pandemic. Students could suddenly transfer to another school immediately without penalty of having to sit out a transfer year. That aspect of the transfer changed the landscape of college football and basketball immensely, and it was open to all sports. It created a frenzy with players clogging the on-ramp like a big-city traffic jam.
Last year, thousands of student athletes hit the portal, declaring their intention to transfer. Once officially in the portal, the recruiting process can start all over again, at least for those worthy. Some players wind up sitting in the portal for months and months, even up to a year. It’s not for everyone.
With the portal opening, however, there was a sudden backlash on high school players trying to find a college destination. Coaches started recruiting the portal more heavily than the high school ranks, and who could blame them? Getting an experienced college player instead of a wide-eyed freshman out of high school was a no-brainer.
There was a lack of scholarships to offer the high school players and many waited too late to make a decision. Those players wound up at the Football Championship Subdivision level or were left out entirely. Quarterbacks were the main victims. In the past, schools preferred getting their quarterback recruiting done early.
A good example is Chad Mascoe, who guided Kissimmee Osceola to the state championship game in which the Kowboys lost to Seminole in 2020. He was once committed to FSU, but that didn’t work out so he waited to choose from his other offers. That list dwindled as signing day approached and schools were snagging their next quarterback out of the portal.
The process was already bogged down by the extra year of eligibility granted to players due to the COVID pandemic. That impact is felt less and less now as the players finish their careers, but for Mascoe it was small consolation.
He had four remaining Football Bowl Subdivision offers, but none was committable. He ended up at FCS Campbell, where he’s sure to be the star of the show. That’s not FBS, however, the highest level which is on every high schooler’s wishlist.
Things have changed this year. It’s been a record-setting offseason for recruiting in Central Florida, with 33 players in the Sentinel’s 2023 Super60 committing to their school of choice before August even arrived. Nine players committed in the final week of July.
Antonio Ferguson of Apopka, an East Carolina defensive end commit, thinks the portal is a big reason for all of the summer activity.
“I think the transfer portal definitely has an influence on people committing earlier than usual,” he said. “Because now, half of the spots are going to people in the transfer portal and the other half is going to high school recruits.
“People are just trying to make sure to get their spots on the team and it’s making people commit faster.”
Finally the recruits are wising up, listening to their coaches and taking advantage of opportunities. It often makes for a quick decision, but most players are going to be better off for it.
But what if they’re not?
Well, there is always the transfer portal.
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Chris Hays covers high school football, college football recruiting, the NFL and the Orlando Magic for the Sentinel. He can be reached at CHays@orlandosentinel.com.
