Curious

I know it is common place for student athletes to verbally commit to a college. I can see this being done in their SR year before the open signing period but what other benefit does this bring the student? Especially when they do it in their freshman to junior years?
Trying to make this an honest question and not bash anyone for doing so. I think it is great for students to get recoginition early for what they have accomplished.

 

Sunday during the Arkansas v. Mizzou game, this very topic was brought up. Girls are committing at 14-15 years old now. Why? It is because of recruiting habits established by DI schools. Coaches are currently "shopping" sophomores to lock-in recruits they feel would beneficial to their programs in the year 2015. As coaches try to get the jump one another, it is trickling down to the players themselves. If they want to get recruited to a program of their dreams...or even a program, they are having to put themselves on the market during their freshman year in order to assure that they are seen.

This is not a new practice, just more and more common. Erica Nunn from here in NC, committed to USF when she was just a sophomore, i.e.

But the bottom line is this: If you want to play DI, then you need to be marketing yourself in your freshman year.