NCAA recruiting dead period will likely be extended to April 15 for football

The NCAA Football Oversight Committee has recommended the football recruiting dead period be extended to April 15, CBS Sports reported on Wednesday.

The live period was set to begin Jan. 1, but the NCAA Council is expected to approve the April 15 date at a meeting next week. The dead period means coaches can't meet with recruits in person. With the extension certain to pass, the current dead period will last for over a year. The dead period was first extended in March 2019.

"Everyone is deeply affected," one high profile Los Angeles area high school football coach texted to SBLive. "I have juniors and seniors that are clearly Division 1 players that have not been able to display their talents. In high school age boys, there can be a ton of growth and development in a short time. My kids have been working very hard, and any coach would be impressed if they could see them. This time is tough on many people. These kids especially. We have had kids commit to colleges they have never seen, while others are hoping and praying for an opportunity to prove themselves."

"This isn't good for anybody," another coach texted.

The extensions have been brought on by COVID-19 and have forced coaches to primarily recruit via text messages and video calls.

This year's traditional football signing dates in December and February are still scheduled to take place.

The NCAA Basketball Oversight Committees are also recommending a similar dead period through the end of their seasons, per CBS Sports.