How COVID-19 has changed college football and basketball recruiting landscapes

To say this has been an unusual year for college coaches would be an understatement. From canceling the NCAA basketball tournament in March to navigating a now-seven-month-long dead period in recruiting, it has been a constant assess-and-adjust strategy because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coaches in football and basketball have adapted to the limitations on the recruiting trail. The dead period means they haven't been able to evaluate prospects in person nor host recruits on official or unofficial visits, but they have found ways to continue the recruiting process and land commitments along the way.

With basketball's signing day on Wednesday and football's a month away, we will start to see how the dead period and obstacles brought on by the pandemic might affect college programs and players in the Class of 2021 and beyond.

How will coaches evaluate recruits they haven't seen in person in over a year? What will recruiting classes and roster sizes look like with potential issues with scholarship allotment? Are there any ramifications on the recruiting trail the longer the restrictions are in place?

We answer those questions and more to show what the immediate future in recruiting could look like for coaches across the country.