The current landscape of the college football world has brought on a new era, especially with the introduction of player payment through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). College athletes, most notably college football players, now have ample opportunity to make money off their playing ability, an afterthought for over a century. With the construction of the transfer portal, paired with players earning money, college football athletes are leaving for other schools at an unprecedented pace. Per On3 Sports, over 2,000 FBS players have entered the transfer portal during the 2023-24 cycle.
NEWS: Over 2,000 FBS Football players have now entered the NCAA Transfer Portal during the 2023-24 cycle😳https://t.co/UMRbxTdpbs pic.twitter.com/q9DJ0TKv9U
— On3 (@On3sports) December 29, 2023
New NCAA Rules Result in Overwhelmed Transfer Portal
The NCAA allowed players to earn payment through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in 2021. Players could now receive market-value compensation for using their image and name, which the NCAA ruled illegal up to that point. Regulations on NIL were minimal, with players earning lofty amounts of money from high-end schools for their services. Additionally, sponsorships were now available for players. For example, this season, USC Trojans quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy Award winner Caleb Williams appeared in multiple Doctor Pepper commercials. This move would have derailed his college football career years prior.
College athletes affected by the COVID-19 season have also earned an extra year of eligibility. Mix that with the NCAA ruling that first-time transfers no longer had to sit out, and players were heading to the portal at an extraordinary rate. The NCAA even created an organized portal to document all transfers, making it streamlined for schools to offer players leaving their former programs.
The NCAA also recently announced that two-time transfers will not need to sit for the 2024 college football season. The transfer portal has a month-long window that starts in early December, mainly affecting bowl-eligible teams during postseason players. Most teams take the field for their bowl clash absent a large portion of their squad from the regular season, a result of players entering the transfer portal during the sanctioned window by the NCAA.
Star College Football Players Entering Transfer Portal in 2023
In the era of NIL and player empowerment, a standout season by a player with eligibility almost guarantees an entry in the transfer portal. Washington State Cougars star quarterback Cam Ward projects to make $1.1 million in NIL money at Florida State or Miami, per On3 Sports. Ward leaves behind Washington State despite throwing for 25 touchdowns and seven picks.
Another star quarterback, Oklahoma Sooners senior Dillion Gabriel, will play for Oregon next season despite a double-digit win campaign under his belt in 2023. Even the teams that made the College Football Playoff have lost players to the portal. The Alabama Crimson Tide lost former five-star wideout Ja’Corey Brooks to the portal before their matchup with the Michigan Wolverines. Meanwhile, the Wolverines lost a linebacker and a cornerback yesterday to departure.
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