National signing day is a significant milestone for student-athletes at the collegiate level. How does the process work? Check out more information on rules and best practices below.
What is national signing day? When is the 2025 event?
National signing day for the Class of 2025 is Feb. 5. It marks the opening of the final signing period for the class where any remaining uncommitted and/or unsigned players will sign with their schools. This class has from Feb. 5 to Feb. 7 to sign financial aid agreements for the upcoming season. By signing those documents, the prospect's commitments become official.
What is the difference between early signing and regular signing?
Prior to the Class of 2017, the February signing period was the only time recruits could sign national letters of intent. In 2017, the NCAA Division I Council, and subsequently, the Collegiate Commissioners Association, approved an early signing day. That has allowed prospects two periods to finalize their decisions and officially sign with programs. The early signing period occurs in December and the regular signing period is in February. Signing in the early period allows prospects to enroll for the spring semester while waiting until February can delay when a player can join his college program. Depending on the school calendar, a player's enrollment could be delayed to the summer or fall if he signs in February. If a prospect does not sign in December, that recruitment is still open. The player can continue to be recruited.
Can you commit/decommit after national signing day?
If a player has not signed financial aid documents after the early signing period, that player can commit or decommit, but the decision won't become official until the player signs during the February signing period. It is fairly common for players to delay a decision to the later signing period. It is less common for players to sign documents and then have second thoughts. When that happens, a player must request and be granted a release before signing with another school. If a coach leaves after the early signing day, players are granted their release without penalty.
Can you still get recruited after national signing day?
No. Once a player has signed, they are locked into that institution unless they are granted a release from their aid agreement or, after enrolling, enter the transfer portal.
Can college coaches attend national signing day?
No. NCAA regulation prohibits coaches from being present when a prospect is signing. The NCAA also prohibits coaches from off-campus, in-person contact with a prospect for the purpose of signing aid agreements.
What's the difference between a national letter of intent and a financial aid agreement?
Essentially nothing. Since 1964, the National Letter of Intent program has existed as the formal, binding agreement between prospective athletes and college programs for the past 60 years. In October, the NCAA Division I Council approved the elimination of the NLI, which will be replaced by a new financial aid agreement that will provide many of the same core functions as the NLI and will likely be tied to a contract related to an impending revenue-sharing model across college athletics.
Why did the NCAA get rid of the national letter of intent?
The Division I Council's move to nix the NLI program comes as the NCAA and college athletics prepare for sweeping change via the impending House settlement, which is set to grant roughly $2.8 billion in damages to former and current college athletes and pave the way for revenue sharing and college programs to begin paying their athletes more than $20 million annually as soon as next fall. The aid agreements would include that revenue information and bind the school to the agreement. The change also prohibits athletes from signing with more than one school and prohibits programs from contacting the player once he has signed.
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