Thanks to a new NCAA rule, schools are now able to sign early-enrolling recruits to financial aid agreements starting in October, which obligates the school to honor their scholarships.
NCAA rule lets Ohio State, LSU sign players in November
Schools are now able to sign early-enrolling recruits to a guaranteed scholarship, though those players are not officially bound to the school.
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LSU added a four-star recruit in quarterback Brandon Harris on Thursday, thanks to the help of that rule, and Ohio State received an early commitment of their own with four-star wide receiver/athlete Curtis Samuel. Harris is the third ranked dual threat quarterback in the 2014 class, according to the 247sports composite, while Samuel is the seventh ranked athlete in the country.
It is important to note that signing these early financial aid agreements does not replace the letter of intent -- players remain unbound and are still free to enroll elsewhere even after this. In turn, other schools are still able to recruit them even after these forms are filled out, and limits on contact via in-person visit or phone call are removed.
This process mainly serves to the advantage of the early-enrolling player -- who must demonstrate adequate progress toward early-enrollment -- if anything should happen to them, they will still have a scholarship guaranteed at that school, while still retaining the right to eventually commit elsewhere.
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