The early signing period for college football is underway.
High school seniors can sign financial aid agreements — which have replaced the national letter of intent — through Friday. After that, unsigned recruits must wait until the traditional signing period opens on Feb. 5. Typically about 80% of Division I Football Bowl Subdivision signees make it official during the early period.
This year’s early signing period was moved up three weeks on the calendar to get in front of Monday’s opening of the transfer portal.
Here’s a look at the players the area’s four FBS teams — Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern and Northern Illinois — have signed. (Class rankings are according to the 247 Sports composite, which aggregates the major recruiting services, as of 6 p.m. Wednesday.)
Check back throughout the day and week for updates as the schools announce their signees.
Notre Dame
Signees: 25
Ranking: 12th nationally
- Matty Augustine, OL, Greenwich, Conn.
- Jerome Bettis Jr., WR, Atlanta
- Will Black, OL, London, Ontario
- JaDon Blair, S, Winston-Salem, N.C.
- Chris Burgess Jr., DL, Simeon
- Elijah Burress, WR, Totowa, N.J.
- Davion Dixon, DL, Homestead, Fla.
- Madden Faraimo, LB, Oceanside, Calif.
- James Flanigan, TE, Green Bay
- Dallas Golden, CB, Tampa, Fla.
- Blake Hebert, QB, Boxford, Mass.
- Cam Herron, OL, Indianapolis
- Dominik Hulak, DL, Immaculate Conception
- Nolan James, RB, Westwood, N.J.
- Ko’o Kia, LB, Kahalu’u, Hawaii
- Brandon Logan, S, Fort Wayne, Ind.
- Ethan Long, S, Milford, Conn.
- Joe Reiff, DL, York
- Scrap Richardson, WR, Greenville, Ga.
- Anthony Sacca, LB, Delran, N.J.
- Erik Schmidt, K, Milwaukee
- Owen Strebig, OL, Brookfield, Wis.
- Gordy Sulfsted, DL, Cincinnati
- Cree Thomas, CB, Phoenix
- Mark Zackery, CB, Indianapolis
Illinois
Signees: 21
Ranking: 42nd nationally, 12th in the Big Ten
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- Grant Beerman, LB, West Chester, Ohio
- Carson Boyd, QB, St. Louis
- Cameron Brooks, DL, Homewood-Flossmoor
- Tywan Cox, DB, Miami
- Logan Farrell, TE, Hersey
- John Forster, RB, Montvale, N.J.
- Dylan Frechette, OL, Central Falls, R.I.
- Erik Gayle, OLB, Cincinnati
- JJ Hirdes, OL, Coopersville, Mich.
- RJ Jones, DB, Fort Pierce, Fla.
- Ismael Kante, LB, Iowa Central CC
- Andre Lovett, DB, Eisenhower
- Michael McDonough, OL, Andrew
- Jershaun Newton, QB, St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Griffin Rousseau, OL, Stoughton, Wis.
- Xanai Scott, DB, Riviera Beach, Fla.
- Grant Smith, TE, Maroa-Forsyth
- Desmond Straughton, DB, Detroit
- Brayden Trimble, WR, Mt. Zion, Ill.
- Isaiah White, DL, Indianapolis
- Cedric Wyche, RB, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Northwestern
Signees: 20
Ranking: 61st nationally, 17th in the Big Ten
- Daniel Anderson, RB, Alexander, Ark.
- Braden Blueitt, WR, Colleyville, Texas
- Trey Boyd, OL, Shakopee, Minn.
- Marquet Dorsey, CB, Wayne, N.J.
- Niki Dugandzic, P, New Trier
- Dube Enongene, WR, Atlanta
- Jonah Hayes, DE, Loveland, Ohio
- Ronny Johnson, RB, Dexter, Mich.
- Alijah Jones, S, Baltimore
- Tanner Jumpp, DT, Lake Mary, Fla.
- Tyler Kielmeyer, TE, Westerville, Ohio
- Noah LaPorte, TE, Princeton, Ill.
- Mason Mayne, DT, Lawton, Mich.
- Michael O’Connell, OL, Glenbard West
- Caden O’Rourke, DE, Lincoln-Way East
- Robby Preckel, TE, Wildwood, Mo.
- Marcus Romain, QB, Marietta, Ga.
- Jon Jon Stevens, S, Columbus, Ohio
- Josh Veldman, LB, Lincoln-Way West
- Hayden Wright, OL, Kingwood, Texas
Northern Illinois
Signees: 18
Ranking: 81st nationally, third in the MAC
- Jordan Bellamy, DT, St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Charles Brooks, DE, St. Louis
- Montrel Canion, DT, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Tyler Chambers, OL, Lyons
- Micah Cook, DE, Johnston, Iowa
- Brady Davidson, QB, Columbia, Mo.
- Andruw Ellis, S, Roxana, Ill.
- Jimmy Finley, S, Portage, Ind.
- Caleb Haack, TE, Marengo, Iowa
- Trenton Nixon, LB, Merrillville, Ind.
- Fawzy Omotoso, DT, Avon, Ind.
- Casey Popish, TE, Papillion, Neb.
- Tyler Rindels, OL, Iowa City, Iowa
- Lazaro Rogers, RB, Fort Myers, Fla.
- Liam Russo, TE, St. Louis
- Austin Tillman, CB, St. Louis
- Amari Washington, DT, Bettendorf, Iowa
- Triston White, RB, Nashville, Ga.
Transfers
- Alvin Gulley, DT, Yale
- Keshawn Lyons, CB, McKendree