NCAA Extends Recruiting Dead Period Through End Of June

The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee on Wednesday evening approved an extension of the current recruiting dead period through June 30.

The continuation of the dead period — which was put in place in March amid the worldwide coronavirus outbreak — will have a significant impact on Ohio State’s recruiting efforts this summer, as the Buckeyes were scheduled to conduct one-day camps on June 3, 6 and 15 and a 7-on-7 camp on June 18. The staff was also set to welcome more than a dozen committed and uncommitted prospects to campus for a major recruiting weekend on June 12-14.

Committed players expected to take official visits that weekend included Pickerington (Ohio) North five-star defensive end Jack Sawyer; Hopewell, Va., five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson; Bellaire (Texas) Episcopal five-star offensive guard Donovan Jackson; Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep five-star quarterback Kyle McCord; Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star defensive end Tunmise Adeleye; St. Louis De Smet Jesuit four-star cornerback Jakailin Johnson; Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep four-star wide receiver Marvin Harrison; Ironton, Ohio, four-star linebacker Reid Carrico; Streetsboro, Ohio, four-star defensive tackle Mike Hall; Cornelius (N.C.) William Amos Hough four-star running back Evan Pryor; Richfield (Ohio) Revere four-star offensive tackle Ben Christman; Bowling Green (Ky.) South Warren four-star cornerback Jantzen Dunn; Cincinnati La Salle four-star safety Jaylen Johnson; and Cincinnati La Salle three-star cornerback Davonta Smith.

Uncommitted prospects who planned to take official visits that weekend included IMG Academy five-star offensive tackle J.C. Latham; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons four-star wide receiver Troy Stellato; Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass four-star offensive guard Jager Burton; and Savannah (Tenn.) Hardin County four-star tight end Hudson Wolfe.

Ohio State is widely considered the favorite to land commitments from Burton, Latham and Wolfe, and that weekend may have sealed the deal in their respective recruitments. It also could have swung things back in the Buckeyes’ favor when it comes to Stellato, who is perceived to be a Clemson lean.

Now Ohio State — which currently holds the nation’s top-rated class in the 247Sports composite team rankings with 18 total commitments — must rely on phone and video calls to continue to build on those relationships.

It remains to be seen when prospects will be allowed back on campus or when coaches can once again hit the road to conduct off-campus evaluations, though the NCAA will reassess the current situation on May 27.

If the dead period is lifted, the committee may look to alter the recruiting calendar to allow official visits to take place from July 1-24, which is normally also a dead period. If not, prospects may continue to make their respective decisions without visit the added benefit of on-campus visits.

The pandemic has already led to an increase in early commitments this cycle, with more players making a verbal pledge through May 6 than the last two years combined (627 to 545), and Wednesday’s news will likely accelerate the process for recruits who who hoping to take official visits in June and make a decision shortly thereafter. That could be good news for the Buckeyes.