Curt McKeever of the Lincoln Journal Star checks in with 4 coaches from across the country on how the new signing date affects the way that Colleges coaches recruit.
Texas A&M baseball coach Rob Childress woke up on Aug. 15 feeling lucky that seven of the 11 underclassmen and incoming recruits who had been selected in June’s major league draft were still on board with the Aggies.
But by the time he was ready for bed that evening, his mood had taken a turn. Before the final day for pro organizations to sign their picks could pass, A&M lost three more players.
“Every one of those [pro] teams tried to stay in slot until Aug 15, and then it was like fireworks going off,” said Childress, who wasn’t completely caught off guard by the developments. Nevertheless, “it kind of hurt us, because we don’t have a chance to go sign somebody else.” Or at least much of a chance. This summer’s new deadline for professional teams to sign draft picks did provide NCAA Division I college coaches a small window to replenish their rosters. Previously, major league clubs had until the first day of classes to sign a player they had drafted. But Childress doesn’t believe the change has had any impact in regard to late-summer recruiting.
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