Early National Signing Day 2018: Dates, Top CFB Prospects and TV Schedule

Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Oklahoma are the four teams with national championship dreams remaining this season, while everyone else is on the outside of the College Football Playoff looking for a way to change their fortunes in the coming years.

The process starts on the recruiting trail, and fans and coaching staffs alike will have the opportunity to learn about some of their future playmakers in December instead of February's annual signing day.

The NCAA instituted an early signing period last year, meaning players can sign with their school of choice in December rather than waiting until the traditional February day. Here is a look at some of the important information for this year's event.

Dates

The early national signing dates for this season run from Dec. 19 through Dec. 21.

TV Schedule

ESPN's National Signing Day special airs Wednesday on ESPN 2 at 10 a.m. ET and on ESPN U at 12 p.m. ET.

Early Signing Day Explanation

David Kenyon of Bleacher Report provided a primer for early national signing day, explaining players have the opportunity to sign a national letter of intent if they have already decided on their school rather than wait until February.

Not only does that give the player the chance to focus entirely on the next step of their football career—be it enrolling in college early to participate in spring practice or simply improving without having to worry about the pressures of recruiting—it also frees the coaching staff to recruit those who have not made up their mind yet.

Rather than devoting time and resources to making sure the players who join the fold on early signing day will remain committed, those coaches can focus all their attention on those still wavering.

Top Prospects

According to 247Sports' composite player rankings, weak-side defensive end Nolan Smith, weak-side defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, cornerback Derek Stingley, strong-side defensive end Zach Harrison and running back Trey Sanders are the top-five prospects in the 2019 class.

They are all 5-star players, with only Thibodeaux falling short of being the top-ranked one at his respective position because of the presence of Smith.

The SEC figures to enjoy early signing day, as Smith is committed to Georgia, while Stingley is committed to LSU. Smith will look to help the Bulldogs get over the hump after falling in last season's national championship game and this season's SEC championship game to Alabama in heartbreaking fashion both times.

It won't be all SEC love at the top of the recruiting rankings, as Thibodeaux is headed to Oregon in the Pac-12.

Early signing day was created for playmakers like that who already know where they plan on attending, but there figures to be some recruiting drama with the other top prospects.

The 247Sports' crystal-ball predictions for Sanders lean heavily in Alabama's favor at 91 percent, with just six percent going toward the Florida Gators. Sanders' brother, linebacker Umstead Sanders, plays on Florida, but the defending national champions appear to have the inside edge.

Damien Harris is a senior and Josh Jacobs is a junior, so there could be opportunity for early playing time with the Crimson Tide for Sanders, although Najee Harris is only a sophomore. John Garcia Jr. of 247Sports noted Sanders was once committed to Alabama before opening up his recruitment and taking official visits to Texas and Florida State as well.

Still, it looks as if Nick Saban is the one to beat here.

Elsewhere, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding Harrison seeing how he hails from Ohio and is a target for one of the best college football programs in the country, the local Ohio State Buckeyes. However, head coach Urban Meyer is retiring following the Rose Bowl, which will signal the start of a new era for the Big Ten powerhouse.

Meyer's departure may not be the end of Ohio State's chances, though, as Harrison told Adam Kramer of Bleacher Report, "Obviously, Coach Jay [defensive line coach Larry Johnson] is one of the best, if not the best to ever do it on the defensive line. They win a lot of games. And if I go there, I'd be a hometown hero."

If he doesn't, he will likely be attending the hometown school's primary rival, as 58 percent of 247Sports' crystal-ball predictions have him choosing Michigan compared to just 31 percent for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have won seven games in a row and 14 of the last 15 against the Wolverines—including a 62-39 blowout this year—and will look to defeat their rivals once again with Harrison's recruitment.