Early National Signing Day 2018: CFB Recruit Announcement Schedule, Predictions

The top recruits in the 2019 class can begin putting pen to paper on their national letters of intent Wednesday with the start of college football's early signing period.

The window to sign closes Friday, after which recruits will have to wait until Feb. 6 to announce their final decision.

The Collegiate Commissioners Association formally approved the creation of the early signing period in May 2017. ESPN.com's Mitch Sherman argued in January the change has essentially moved up the recruiting timeline. 

By Christmas, head coaches will have a good idea of who's coming in ahead of the 2019 season—something they wouldn't have known for a few more months under the old format. As a result, those coaches will already be shifting their focus to the 2020 recruiting class when the more traditional national signing day arrives in February.

Here's a look at the schedule for Wednesday's festivities and a few predictions for how things will look after Friday.

2019 National Signing Day (Early Period) Schedule (all times are ET)

6:30 a.m.: Jordan Battle, No. 6 S, No. 77 OVR

7 a.m.: Malcolm Ray, No. 68 DT

7:15 a.m.: Tyler Davis, No. 12 DT, No. 161 OVR

7:30 a.m.: Brandon Turnage, No. 12 CB, No. 99 OVR

8 a.m.: Siaki Ika, No. 11 DT, No. 159 OVR

8 a.m.: Derick Hall, No. 12 WDE, No. 181 OVR

8:38 a.m.: John Dixon, No. 45 CB, No. 434 OVR

9:15 a.m.: Cornelius Johnson, No. 39 WR, No. 256 OVR

10 a.m.: Noah Cain, No. 7 RB, No. 104 OVR

10 a.m.: Keon Zipperer, No. 4 TE, No. 136 OVR

10 a.m.: Deyavie Hammond, No. 12 OG, No. 174 OVR

10 a.m.: Lloyd Summerall, No. 15 WDE, No. 237 OVR

11 a.m.: Jimmy Fritzsche, No. 151 OT

11:30 a.m.: Zach Harrison, No. 1 SDE, No. 4 OVR

11:45 a.m.: Cameron Williams, No. 16 OLB, No. 309 OVR

12 p.m.: Tyrique Stevenson, No. 4 CB, No. 38 OVR

12 p.m.: Jalen Curry, No. 25 WR, No. 183 OVR

12 p.m.: Bobby Wolfe, No. 35 CB, No. 328 OVR

12 p.m.: Chace Cromartie, No. 236 S

12:20 p.m.: Trey Sanders, No. 1 RB, No. 5 OVR

1 p.m.: Nakobe Dean, No. 1 ILB, No. 14 OVR

1 p.m.: Evan Neal, No. 5 OT, No. 20 OVR

1 p.m.: Derick Hunter, No. 19 SDE, No. 277 OVR

1 p.m.: Brion Murray, CB

1:20 p.m.: Raydarious Jones, No. 19 ATH, No. 359 OVR

1:30 p.m.: DJ Williams, No. 25 RB, No. 400 OVR

2 p.m.: Dajon Richard, No. 135 ATH

2:30 p.m.: Marcus Stripling, No. 17 SDE, No. 233 OVR

2:30 p.m.: Jaden McKenzie, No. 58 DT, No. 867 OVR

3 p.m.: Drake Jackson, No. 12 SDE, No. 165 OVR

3 p.m.: Stephon Wright, No. 18 SDE, No. 255 OVR

3 p.m.: Ralen Goforth, No. 21 OLB, No. 431 OVR

3 p.m.: Jaylen Erwin, No. 18 WR, No. 150 OVR

3:30 p.m.: Jamie Pettway, No. 26 ILB, No. 472 OVR

4 p.m.: Langston Anderson, No. 47 WR, No. 372 OVR

Announcement info via 247Sports

National Signing Day Predictions

Alabama Will Return to its Perch

Last season was something of a down year for Alabama head coach Nick Saban in terms of recruiting. The Crimson Tide ranked fifth in 2018 after finishing first in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

Alabama still got plenty of contributions from true freshmen this season, including Patrick Surtain, Ale Kaho and Jaylen Waddle. The Crimson Tide are two victories away from a second straight national championship as well.

Nobody really believed Alabama's slip down to fifth in the team rankings signaled any sort of shift in the years ahead. And sure enough, the Tide are first heading into national signing day, with 24 players committed for 2019.

Antonio Alfano, a strong-side defensive end from Colonia, New Jersey, and Daxton Hill, a safety from Tulsa, Oklahoma, are Alabama's 5-star commitments so far. Alfano and Hill will likely have company by the end of the early signing period, with running back Trey Sanders and offensive tackle Evan Neal still considering the Tide.

Urban Meyer's Departure Won't Hurt Ohio State on the Recruiting Trail

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Any time a school is replacing a successful head coach, there's always concern about what it might do for recruits who have yet to sign. Players understandably will be worried about the implications of a regime change.

By announcing Ryan Day as Urban Meyer's successor, Ohio State should avoid that problem for the most part.

Meyer reflected how Day's new role requires him to immediately hit the road.

"Ryan's going to be in four states tomorrow, I imagine. He better be," he told reporters during his retirement press conference. "We lost a week of recruiting [because of the Big Ten championship game]. The signing date is coming up, and over 92 percent of the kids sign on that date."

Garrett Wilson is the No. 2 wide receiver and 16th-best player overall in 2019, and he's the crown jewel of Ohio State's class. After Meyer made clear his intention to step down, Wilson reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State started the 2018 by winning its first three games as Day filled in for Meyer during the outgoing coach's suspension. Beyond Day's head coaching cameo, his promotion ensures a level of continuity remains in 2019. The Buckeyes won't be a drastically different team, which will reassure prospective recruits.

Arrival of Kliff Kingsbury Will Help Stabilize USC's Recruiting after Disappointing Season

John Weast/Getty Images

USC athletic director Lynn Swann has already confirmed Clay Helton will stay on as head coach despite the Trojans finishing 5-7 and missing out on a bowl game.

For those who wished to see a coaching change, USC's step backward in recruiting provided plenty of ammunition. Over the previous three years, the Trojans' classes ranked 10th, fourth and fourth. Heading into 2019, they sit 28th, below Pac-12 rivals Oregon, Washington and Stanford.

Hiring Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator is the kind of injection USC needed to get things headed in the right direction. 

Dina Colunga of SB Nation's Conquest Chronicles spoke to tight end Jude Wolfe and quarterback Kedon Slovis, both of whom were excited to see Kingsbury coming aboard. The Athletic's Antonio Morales also posited his presence could help USC's chances of landing wideout Kyle Ford and athlete Bru McCoy, neither of whom has committed yet.

Given the timing of his hiring, Kingsbury can only do so much to help the Trojans in 2019. But USC stanched the bleeding following a massively underwhelming 2018 campaign.

Jimbo Fisher Will Build Upon Encouraging Debut Year with Massive Haul

Todd Kirkland/Associated Press

Texas A&M hired Jimbo Fisher in December 2017, which didn't leave him much time to leave his stamp on the Aggies' incoming recruiting class. Now that he has had a full year on the recruiting trail, the impact of his arrival is evident.

The Aggies were No. 17 in 2018 and find themselves third heading into national signing day behind Alabama and Georgia.

In particular, Fisher has done a great job securing commitments from the best players in the state of Texas. Of the top 20 in-state recruits, seven have pledged their future to Texas A&M. Compare that to a season ago, when A&M got four of the top 20 Texas-based recruits. 

The Aggies are clearly another year or two away from seriously challenging the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs in the SEC. But they might be ahead of schedule, having pushed Clemson hard and beaten LSU in seven overtimes in 2018.

Fisher needs the right players to get Texas A&M to the next level. Based on the 2019 recruiting cycle, he's having little trouble making that happen. 

Individual recruit and team rankings are courtesy of 247Sports's composite rankings.