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Three-Point Stance: Would SEC pod divisions help or hurt recruiting?

Recruiting musing and observations from national recruiting analyst Ryan Wright include the importance of football camps, how an SEC pod format could impact recruiting and June being an early Christmas period for college football fans.

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MORE THREE-POINT STANCE: Deion means business | Biggest recruiting wins

CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

TRANSFER PORTAL: Stories/coverage | Message board

RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Info for 2022 series

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1. Importance of exposure camps like Rivals

As the Rivals Camp Series wraps up the national tour heading toward the marquee Rivals Underclassmen Challenge in Atlanta, and the Rivals national analyst team is revamping the rankings for the 2023 and ’24 classes, the thought rings deep about how important it is for high school players to attend camps.

The additional instruction from a former NFL and/or college coach can be immensely impactful but there are two other very big points camps such as Rivals brings to players that cannot be overlooked: 1) See where you stand against the competition; 2) Get extra exposure to help with the recruiting process.

Even the cockiest of the five- and four-star players want that competition against other players of their ilk to know just how good they are, and that includes at their position and from across the other side of the ball. Being a big fish in a small pond can distort views and lead to a harsh reality in college when every other player on the roster came up through the ranks just as talented.

Being labeled a five- or four-star is great, but even those guys need help getting their name in front of college coaches to help bring offers to the table. And this holds especially true for three-star and under-the-radar gems needing time in the spotlight. Who knows how many offers the Rivals Camp Series, and the like, help generate each offseason for players, but the number has to be in the tens of thousands.

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2. SEC pod divisions: Help or hurt recruiting?

HURT: If the SEC decides to switch to a four-team pod format once Texas and Oklahoma join the group – doing away with the East and West divisions – it could lead to a fracturing in how high school players perceive playing for different teams. The Florida-Georgia rivalry game may remain a fixture but what happens to long treasured cross-division games such as Auburn vs. Georgia, Florida vs. LSU, and Alabama vs. Tennessee? The pod format is being sold as an opportunity for SEC teams to play each other more often but so was the 6-1-1 format. It took seven years for A&M to play in Athens (2012-19); stretching out the schedule with more teams will keep players at Florida from lining up against Texas even if they are sold on the collegiate matchup.

HELP: Fans have been calling for the SEC to move to a nine-game in-conference schedule, and the addition of the Longhorns and Sooners is the time to make the move. Adding one more conference showdown will step up the circulation of teams more frequently. A Tennessee Volunteer recruit has never been sold on getting to play in Austin during their collegiate career until now.

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3. June is the early Christmas for college football fans

The recruiting process has forever changed thanks to the transfer portal and NIL. The change in mentality makes the month of June a difference maker as official visits begin for the 2023 class with a ticking clock on how long teams will wait to land their targets before looking elsewhere.

Elite prospects across the country will begin to take that next step, giving a harder look at which program may be the best all around fit for them on the field, in the community and in the classroom. As official visits happen, verbal commitments will fly left and right, making it hard for the average fan to keep up. That’s where Rivals steps in to help.

College teams and their fanbases will be rewarded early knowing a top prospect is coming, but the rush to make a decision too early can also lead to a lot of flips. Enjoy the early Christmas presents but handle with care as anything can happen between June and the Early Signing Period.

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