According to some research highlighted by Hero Sports, a growing number of players are opting to sign their national letters of intent with programs from out-of-state.
Hero Sports notes that, when looking back on this last national signing day, 63 of the Rivals100 opted to sign with a program outside of their home state. That number, which obviously equates to 63% of the Rivals100, is the highest ever.
For the past three seasons, top recruits heading out of state have been significantly higher than those who opt to stay within state borders. Interestingly enough, from 2012-2015 it was pretty much a dead heat between the in-state and out-of-state schools - including 2012 which actually had a perfect 50/50 split. On the flip side, 2002-2004 saw 60% or more kids opt for in-state schools.
So what's changed in the college landscape since the early 2000's that might account for the trend? Well nationally televised games are much more prevalent today than they were 15+ years ago. The rise of social media has also likely played an integral role as well.
Head here to read the full piece, with more insight and a graph that lays out the numbers dating back to 2002.