Graduating early, yes. But I can't remember a 4-star recruit leaving MID-SEASON to join a university. i could be wrong, but I think this is really rare.
The only one I remember in recent history doing it is JT Daniels who forewent his senior season in high school to go to USC. Didn’t workout too well for him. Feels like more of a west coast phenomenon to be honest but I don’t follow recruiting all too much.
With so much money on the line now for these kids, the possibility of injury while finishing out a high school season that became meaningless when he signed his letter of intent is far outweighed by the value of getting comfortable in the college setting and taking part in spring practice. A friend's nephew did finish his HS season before enrolling and starting classes at a Big Ten school and he said the spring season gave him a big step up getting ready to compete at that level.
I tuned in just as OT was starting, and what struck me most was the complete lack of animation, or even apparent interest, of Deion on the sidelines. He seemed completely defeated and disengaged, even when Colorado took the lead on a TD in the first overtime. He talked afterwards about how shocked he was by what happened in the second half, but this seemed to be more than that.
