With recruiting camps beginning this week and spring football starting soon, here are the spring recruiting dates to know.

March 8

Los Angeles Nike Football The Opening Regional

The Nike Football Training Camps are now called The Nike Football Opening Regional, and this camp in Los Angeles is the gold standard for recruiting events out West. With so much talent in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, expect a who's who of top 2016 and 2017 recruits to be there.

March 15

Expect to see ESPN Jr. 300 safety Deontay Anderson on the camp and junior day circuit this spring. William Wilkerson/ESPN

Dallas Nike Football The Opening Regional

With no Opening Regional in Houston this year, this event will be loaded with talent from the Lone Star State. Don't be surprised if it also attracts some of the best from Oklahoma and other parts of the Midlands.

March 20

Baylor spring game

The Bears get a chance to make a first impression over the other in-state schools by hosting prospects for their spring game. Coming off a Big 12 championship and with an expected lofty preseason ranking, Baylor will definitely be a hot spot for recruits on this date.

March 22

Atlanta Nike Football The Opening Regional

The stop in Atlanta is hands down the best event for talent in the entire country each and every year. This camp attracts talent from all over the Southeast and with easy flights into Atlanta, we also see a lot of top national players there, too.

March 28

Miami spring game

The Canes have jumped out of the gate with almost 20 commitments before the end of February, but the real battle will be to keep those players on board all the way to signing day next February. Miami's spring game could be a big opportunity to make another positive impression with those recruits.

Adidas Chicago Showcase

This has developed into one of the top events in the Midwest, not only because it's in Chicago but it also attracts players from Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio.

April 4

Michigan spring game

There are lofty expectations for Jim Harbaugh on the recruiting trail, especially he got such a late start with the 2015 class. The Wolverines' spring game could be a big opportunity for Harbaugh's staff to make a big impression on 2016 and 2017 recruits.

April 10

TCU spring game

The Horned Frogs are riding high off a tremendous 2014 season, and the expectations are through the roof with the 2015 season. The same can be said about the 2016 recruiting class. Getting prospects on campus in April will be a good thing.

April 11

Clemson spring game

The Tigers are coming off a top-five recruiting class in 2015 and are hoping to repeat that type of effort in 2016. This will be the first spring game for new Clemson recruiting coordinator Brandon Streeter, who takes over after Jeff Scott and Tony Elliot were promoted to co-offensive coordinators.

Florida spring game

We saw on signing day that Jim McElwain and his new Florida staff are going to forces to reckon with on the recruiting trail. This will be another test for the Gators. Going head-to-head against Florida State for visitors is not an easy thing, so it will be interesting to see who ends up in Gainesville and who winds up in Tallahassee.

Florida State spring game

The Seminoles are still kings of the Sunshine State on the recruiting trail, but they were certainly tested late in the 2015 class by Florida. FSU will have to pass another test with its spring game on the same day as the Gators'.

Nebraska spring game

Mike Riley has brought a real spark to the Huskers, using social media and having five coaches entirely dedicated to the program's recruiting efforts. Nebraska always draws well for its spring game, and having a large crowd could go a long way toward impressing a lot of the top players in the Midlands.

USC spring game

The Trojans come into the 2015 season with sky-high expectations. That excitement, plus a great run to finish off the 2015 class, should have a lot of top recruits from L.A. and surely some elite national targets in the stands for the Trojans' spring game.

April 15

Beginning of the spring evaluation period

In today's fast-forward recruiting world, the spring evaluation period maybe isn't as important as it used to be, but it is still one of the most important times of the year. Starting on April 15 and continuing through May 31, coaches are allowed to make two visits to recruits' high schools. One evaluation is used to evaluate a student-athlete's athletic ability and another is used to access his academic qualifications. They are also allowed to make one -- and only one -- telephone call to recruits between April 15 and May 31. Some schools love to be the first to call a prospect at 12:01 a.m. on this day, but others wait to make that initial communication.

April 18

Alabama spring game

The battles between the Tide and Tigers are always among the best of the best each year on the trail. The battle will rage again with both Alabama and Auburn having their spring games on the same day. Which game top players show up at can be a big sign as to which way they're leaning.

Auburn spring game

Auburn made a big splash when it signed 2015's No. 1 player, Byron Cowart, and the Tigers hope to continue that momentum with the 2016 class. Going head-to-head with the Crimson Tide for talent on the same day could make things even more interesting.

LSU spring game

By this point, the Tigers have already hosted a number of top prospects on campus for junior days, but the spring game is another chance for LSU to get local targets there again. With LSU making Texas a priority and Texas making Louisiana a priority, it will be interesting to see if they compete for players to make it to their campus that day.

Houston spring game

Jim Harbaugh's first spring at Michigan will be huge for his recruiting efforts. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Tom Herman has brought a real sense of energy to the Houston program since his arrival from Ohio State. The city of Houston is a gold mine for top talent and getting some of those players to stay at home is key to his success. His first test for the 2016 class will be the spring game on the same day as Texas'.

Ohio State spring game

The Buckeyes have always done well in the spring under Urban Meyer. It's when Ohio State builds the foundation of its class with a lot of top Midwest talent. The Buckeyes' spring game will be a big chance to get some of those elite Ohio players on campus and try to get them on board with a commitment.

Oregon State spring game

Gary Andersen raised a lot of eyebrows when he bolted from Wisconsin to Oregon State, but from a recruiting standpoint, the move made a lot of sense. He has so many ties to the West from his time at Utah and Utah State, and he'll be able to fully tap into those connections now that he's at Oregon State.

Texas spring game

Charlie Strong certainly hasn't pushed for early commitments as much as Mack Brown did, but getting a good foundation for the 2016 class will be key for the Longhorns. The Lone Star State seems to be more wide open than it's ever been before and impressing recruits during the spring game will be key.

April 25

Kansas spring game

David Beaty has a tough task ahead of him, but he has pushed all the right buttons in the first few months on the job in Lawrence. Getting players on campus for the Jayhawks' spring game will be key, especially if a number of those recruits are from the Kansas City metro area.

Tennessee spring game

The Vols are another team that has big expectations for 2015 and the job they did in recruiting the past two seasons have people demanding another top-five class. Impressing recruits while on campus for the spring game can certainly help make that happen again.

UCLA spring game

The Bruins made big headlines on signing day with their national recruiting efforts, and don't be surprised if you see a number of top national targets in town for their spring game. It'll also be telling to see which players show up at UCLA's spring game compared to who showed up at USC's.

May 2

Oregon spring game

The Ducks are one of the hottest tickets around, and recruits -- both in the West and nationally -- get excited when Oregon comes after it. Oregon has always drawn well for its spring game; don't be surprised if it picks up some key commits that weekend.

May 31

Final day of the spring evaluation period

After May 31, the recruiting calendar turns back to a quiet period where recruiters are not allowed to make off-campus evaluations of prospects. It's also the final chance a school has to make a phone call to a recruit until September rolls around. Some schools wait until the final day to make that call, so they can leave a lasting impression. It should be noted, though, that that doesn't mean recruits can't call coaches. They're allowed to do that, and many schools take advantage of that loophole.

Columbus Nike Football The Opening Regional

Oregon and Ohio State are the only two college campuses that will host Opening Regionals this year, and the event at Ohio State in late May surely will attract top Midwest talent.

June 11

Detroit Sound Mind, Sound Body Camp

Because of the event's timing and structure, college coaches are allowed and have been a big part of the camp's success over the years. Last year, Urban Meyer, Mark Dantonio and James Franklin were all on hand, and you can expect similar type of attendance with this year's event.

June 14

Eugene Elite 11 Quarterback regional

The final Elite 11 regional is when quarterbacks who haven't earned a golden ticket to the prestigious quarterback camp go out of their way to get there. If they impress there, they get an invite to the final competition. If they don't, then they get to watch the competition on TV.