The timeline has rapidly accelerated for these high academic D1 schools, Do not kid yourselves. They can offer before grades and test scores because (a) they can always pull if the kid does not make the needed scores and (b) they may have PSAT scores and feel confident with them. You can see Ivy commits junior year now, and even earlier. And this has accelerated commitments to high academic D3 schools too! Not every D3 coach will wait to see who does not get an Ivy offer as not all players are chasing Ivies first (unlike posted above). There are already high academic 2019 D3 commitments.
Again, it is a domino effect, and everyone is moving earlier...HF or other showcases rising junior year can be valuable depending upon skill level and academic aspirations. We know someone who went as a rising sophomore and walked away with a D1 high academic commitment a month or so later. It is happening more and more for high academics too.