The 2017 National Signing Day saw a handful of sizable catches by Hugh Freeze, who has now netted two four-star prospects and 18 three-star guys in this recruiting cycle. With the 35th-ranked recruiting class according to 247Sports’ composite calculator, Freeze is under no illusions about the effect of looming NCAA penalties on his ability to land top-tier talent.
“We’ve suffered penalties,” he said at a NSD presser, “This recruiting class: it was a penalty. To be under the cloud we’re under.” That’s an understandable position, and as Freeze was first to point, the uncertainty about timing and severity of NCAA punishment rendered this year’s recruiting project a difficult one.