What to know about the Early Signing Period

National Signing Day comes early this year with the Early Signing Period.

Last year was the first year with a December signing period, in addition to the traditional February period. Many commits signed during this period, which runs from Wednesday through Friday.

Signing day is always a big day as thousands of high school players sign their National Letter of Intent announcing where they will be continuing their football-playing career at college. Many recruits also announce their commitments in ceremonies during this period.

With the Early Signing Period falling in the middle of bowl season, many coaches and their staffs will be under heavy pressure to prepare their teams for their bowl game and continue luring recruits to their university.

After a 4-8 season, Illinois head coach Lovie Smith and his staff are granted the luxury of being able to completely focus on the recruiting trail.

For players who commit this early, they need to be incredibly sure of their decisions.

For how the period went for Illinois last year, check out our Early Signing Period updates from 2017.

Follow The Champaign Room on Twitter (@Champaign_Room) and Facebook all day on Wednesday as we cover all of Illinois’ signings and any surprise commitments that Illinois receives.