Hundreds upon hundreds of prospects set official visits for June, and it is easy to get overwhelmed by the names and dates and numbers of prospects being recruited by a school. Figuring out what it all means could be more complicated and time consuming than earning a PhD.
And the destination of the official visit is only part of the equation, and not the most important piece of deciphering all of it.
The way the visits are structured provides a pathway to a program’s recruiting board, and which prospects sit where on a school’s “want” list.
“I would say the majority of schools are moving toward trying to get these done as soon as possible, build their class the right way and then put the final touches on the class later,” 247Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Loy said. “It’s about getting the right guys on campus together because it’s all about brotherhood, camaraderie and that stuff. In a perfect scenario, (visits) are going to be earlier rather than later. I think that part is a no-brainer.”
Official visits already started but the firestorm begins May 31. As the middle of June hits, much of the official visit fodder will begin flaming out and many of the prospects with official visits set in late June are expected to commit to schools and cancel remaining trips.
In short, schools are loading up with getting their top uncommitted prospects on campus either May 31-June 2, or June 7-9, although some will come through campus the weekends of June 14-16 and June 21-23 before the dead period begins and leads to a slew of late June and July commitments.
“There are always outliers but many of the schools in the northeast are trying to get their top guys on campus during the first two weekends,” Northeast recruiting analyst Brian Dohn said. “Penn State has the third weekend of June set for their commits, and there will be several uncommitted prospects high on their board on campus that weekend as well but the first two weekends are the big ones for the Nittany Lions.
“Most of the schools want to get kids on campus early, get them committed and have them cancel their remaining trips.”
In fact, 247Sports’ team of national recruiting analysts point toward the de-emphasis of the June 14-16 and June 21-23 weekends. They are, on a whole, much less desirable around the nation for official visits but circumstances sometimes dictate priority prospects officially visit those weekends.