The past two years Recruiting Essentials has tracked commitment trends from across the country.  As the Director of Scouting in North Carolina, I have kept a close tab on some of the trends within my own state.  Getting a feel for when there is a rush on prospects, how many total prospects may commit in any given year, and how many may commit early allows prospects, and schools, to continue to control their recruiting process.

As a Recruiting Coordinator at the Division I level for close to 15 years, there is some stress watching players come off the board in their Freshman and Sophomore year.  Working to track players, communicate with families, and stay locked in on their recruiting process can be exhausting.  I am sure prospects can feel the same way as they are communicating with schools only to see a player at the same position commit, and the school becoming a bit cold in the process afterwards.  With years of skin in the game, coaches and scouts become aware that players will be available and will continue to get better.  Even as the crop of players that may fit a need seems to be drying up, experience tells you that with the next season there will be players that mature and get better, stepping up to fill the need.  Prospects and their families do not get the benefit of that experience, as the recruiting process ends once a commitment is made.

The experience that prospects and their families are missing is that there are plenty of opportunities still available and coming down the road.  The opportunity may not be with a “dream school” but it may be with the perfect fit.  Uncommitted prospects can prepare to be more available as their perfect fit comes calling.

Commitment Trends

In North Carolina as I am writing this article there are 181 committed players in the 2019 class and 37 players committed in the 2020 class.  Looking back at the 2018 class,