
The replacements: Who will fill the shoes of those picked in the first round of the NFL draft?
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1 year agoon
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adminWith the 2024 NFL draft in the rearview mirror, college football has officially waved goodbye to many of its top players.
Six quarterbacks were taken in the first round alone, including two Heisman Trophy winners. So who’s next?
Below you’ll find all 32 first-round picks from last Thursday’s NFL draft and who their likely successor will be according to ESPN’s college football staff.
Replacement: Miller Moss
Though Lincoln Riley has refused to officially name him the starter, longtime USC backup Miller Moss is slated to replace Williams — at least this season. Moss has been biding his time, refusing to transfer and instead hoping that his belief and talent will earn him the job. When given the opportunity in last year’s Holiday Bowl, Moss delivered, throwing for six touchdowns in the win. Riley said after this year’s spring game that Moss has the inside track on the job, but nothing is certain just yet. — Paolo Uggetti
Replacement: Garrett Nussmeier
The Tigers are undergoing a complete makeover on offense after Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, and his two 1,000-yard receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., were selected in the first round. Former LSU offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock departed for Notre Dame as well. LSU coach Brian Kelly promoted quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan and receivers coach/passing game coordinator Cortez Hankton to co-offensive coordinators, with Sloan taking over the playcalling.
The good news? Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is more than ready to take over. He waited three seasons behind Daniels and was MVP of the ReliaQuest Bowl after passing for 395 yards with three scores in a 35-31 victory over Wisconsin. — Mark Schlabach
Replacement: Max Johnson or Conner Harrell
Through 15 spring practices, North Carolina coach Mack Brown remains undecided about who will replace Maye. Johnson, who transferred in from Texas A&M, has far more starting and playing experience. But Harrell was in the offense last year as a backup to Maye.
Brown said in his post-spring news conference he just wants to see more consistency to help him make a decision. “I go back and forth,” Brown said. “One day, I’ll walk off and say, ‘God, he was great. The other one struggled a little bit.’ And then the next day, I’ll say, ‘That one had confidence. He had a hot hand, but I don’t know.’ So that’s the good and the bad of it. We just need to get one of them more consistent.” — Andrea Adelson
Replacement: Jeremiah Smith
Senior Emeka Egbuka reminded everyone in Ohio State’s spring game why he’ll be the Buckeyes’ No. 1 target next season with a series of impressive catches, including a one-handed grab along the sideline. But Smith, the No. 4 overall recruit in 2024, dazzled after enrolling early with his ball skills and big-play ability. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound wideout has the potential to follow in Harrison’s footsteps and be a top-five draft pick himself down the line. Once again, the Buckeyes appear to be loaded at wide receiver. — Jake Trotter
5. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Replacement: Charles Jagusah
Alt sat out last season’s Sun Bowl, paving the way for Charles Jagusah to make the start in Notre Dame’s 40-8 win over Oregon State. Jagusah was the first Notre Dame freshman to start at left tackle since … Joe Alt. At 6-7, 330 pounds, Jagusah is an intimidating figure, and as a four-star recruit, he has the pedigree to be a top blocker at a position that’s become an incubator for NFL talent.
Each of the past five starting left tackles for the Irish has become either a first- or second-round draft pick, including three players taken in the top 10. In his lone start in the Sun Bowl, Jagusah had just one blown block — though it did lead to a sack. That’s as many sacks as Alt allowed all season. In other words, Jagusah has some very big shoes to fill. — David Hale
Replacement: CJ Daniels or Zavion Thomas
With Nabers and Thomas off to the NFL draft, the Tigers plucked CJ Daniels (Liberty) and Zavion Thomas (Mississippi State) from the transfer portal. Daniels was a second-team All-Conference USA selection after catching 55 passes for 1,067 yards with 10 touchdowns in 2023. He had seven 100-yard receiving games in 32 contests at Liberty.
Thomas was one of the most explosive kick and punt returners in the SEC during his two seasons with the Bulldogs. He had 40 receptions for 503 yards with one touchdown in 2023, while adding 202 yards on six kickoff returns and 163 yards on 14 punt returns. He averaged 12.4 yards each time he touched the ball last season. Kyren Lacy was LSU’s No. 3 receiver last season, and he figures to become Nussmeier’s primary target in 2024. — Schlabach
Replacement: Elijah Pritchett
With Kadyn Proctor returning at left tackle after transferring to Iowa for a few months and then having a change of heart, Pritchett is the favorite to step in at right tackle and has the most experience. He battled with Proctor last season for a starting spot and played in 13 games. Alabama had only four scholarship tackles this spring and will need to create more depth at a position that has seen a wealth of talent over the years in Tuscaloosa. — Chris Low
Replacement: Will Rogers
Despite a short scare when Rogers — a Mississippi State transfer — reentered the transfer portal following the departure of Kalen DeBoer to Alabama, new head coach Jedd Fisch was able to keep Rogers in Seattle. The fifth-year senior threw for a total of 12,315 passing yards and 94 touchdowns over his four years in Starkville and has the potential to add to his résumé under Fisch’s typically explosive offensive scheme this upcoming season. — Uggetti
Replacement: Jeremiah Hunter
Hunter, a transfer from Cal, started 23 games over his four seasons in Berkeley, totaling 143 receptions, 2,056 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Hunter led Cal last year with 62 receptions, 703 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. He enrolled at UW in time to participate in spring ball. — Heather Dinich
Replacement: Alex Orji
Unless Michigan adds a quarterback in the portal, Orji will likely get the first chance to lead the defending national champions. Orji was an effective changeup quarterback in 2023, using his size (6-3, 236 pounds) and athletic ability to rush for 86 yards on 15 carries. But he didn’t attempt a pass and must show significant growth to replace McCarthy’s accuracy and efficiency.
Orji is working with a mostly new-look group of wide receivers, although he will benefit from having standout tight end Colston Loveland in the middle of the field. — Adam Rittenberg
Replacement: Drew Shelton
Shelton missed spring practice after undergoing an offseason surgery that required him to wear a sling. But during the combine, Fashanu praised his likely replacement, saying Shelton has a chance to “be a lot better than I ever was.” Shelton started five games at left tackle in 2022 after Fashanu suffered an injury and made another start at right tackle last season. Assuming he’s ready to go for the season, the 6-5, 306-pound Shelton is primed to finally step into a full-time starting role. — Trotter
12. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Replacement: Dillon Gabriel
This is Gabriel’s third school, having played at both UCF and more recently Oklahoma, which is why it’s no surprise the senior has the edge in experience over sophomore UCLA transfer Dante Moore. Coach Dan Lanning said both are quickly learning the system, “but certainly there’s an edge for Dillon with his experience and what he’s done at his previous stops.” Gabriel has 49 career starts and enters the year tied for fourth in NCAA history in career total touchdowns (152). — Dinich
Replacement: Oscar Delp or Benjamin Yurosek
The Bulldogs aren’t going to simply replace Bowers, who was the best tight end in program history. His route running and ability to pick up yards after the catch — as well as his willingness to block and do it well — was a rare combination. Junior Oscar Delp played a lot when Bowers was sidelined with an ankle injury in 2023. Delp becomes the top tight end after catching 24 passes for 284 yards with three touchdowns last season.
Former Stanford star Ben Yurosek was the top tight end in the transfer portal and will arrive in Athens, Georgia, this summer. He had 108 receptions for 1,342 yards in three seasons with the Cardinal, including leading Stanford with 658 receiving yards in 2021. As much as Georgia uses two-tight end sets, sophomore Lawson Luckie and freshmen Jaden Reddell and Colton Heinrich will have opportunities for early playing time as well. — Schlabach
Replacement: Grant Starck
Three players — Grant Starck, Jacob Strand and Nathan Elu — are all possibilities, but Starck, a senior, has the edge in experience. He played in 12 games last year after transferring from Nevada, where he was a starter in 2022. Strand and Elu are both redshirt sophomores who played in a combined eight games last year. Joshua Gray, the only returning starter up front, played opposite Fuaga last year but could be moving inside this season. — Dinich
Replacement: Collins Acheampong
The Bruins’ best player last season won’t be easy to replace, especially after one of the candidates to take his spot — Choe Bryant-Strother — recently entered the transfer portal. New head coach DeShaun Foster has already declared it a “portal position” and the Bruins brought in Collins Acheampong from Miami — a 6-7, 270-pound freshman who has plenty of raw potential — to see if he can fill the void. Foster & Co. also brought in Navy transfer Jacob Busic and converted Devin Aupiu to edge from defensive tackle in order to have multiple options. — Uggetti
Replacement: Alfred Collins
How loaded was Texas at defensive tackle last year? Alfred Collins was honorable mention All-Big 12 despite sharing the field with Murphy, a first-round pick, and Outland Trophy winner T’Vondre Sweat, a second-rounder. Collins, who opted to return for his super senior season, has appeared in 48 games with 12 starts in his career, including recording 22 tackles with 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 2 pass breakups last season. He showed his athletic ability in the spring game by snagging a tipped ball from Quinn Ewers and running it back for a pick-six. — Dave Wilson
Replacement: Quandarrius Robinson
The redshirt senior has waited his turn and saw most of his action on special teams last season. More than any other position under the new regime, the Crimson Tide need pass-rushers to emerge.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said he liked the way Robinson and some of his mates adjusted to the new scheme this spring. A breakout season for the 6-5, 231-pound Robinson would be huge for Alabama, which lost 25 of its 39 sacks last season to the NFL among the trio of Chris Braswell, Justin Eboigbe and Turner. Redshirt junior Keanu Koht and redshirt freshman Qua Russaw are two others to watch at the edge positions. — Low
Replacement: Earnest Greene and Xavier Truss
Georgia’s offensive line should be among the best in the FBS once again. The Bulldogs bring back both starting tackles, Earnest Greene and Xavier Truss, from a unit that led the SEC and ranked seventh in the FBS in sacks allowed (0.93 per game) in 2023. Truss has started 28 games at Georgia; Greene started all 14 as a redshirt freshman. Jamal Meriweather and Monroe Freeling were the top tackle backups in the spring. — Schlabach
19. Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Replacement: Patrick Payton, Sione Lolohea or Marvin Jones Jr.
Verse, a transfer from Albany, excelled with the Seminoles. To find his replacement, coach Mike Norvell also turns to a transfer — but this one was a lot more known coming out of high school. Marvin Jones Jr. might have an even higher ceiling. He was a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 2 edge rusher in the country coming out of high school, but his first two seasons at Georgia offered minimal results. He transferred to FSU in January and was among the Seminoles’ most improved players in spring ball. He’s currently behind Patrick Payton and Oregon State transfer Sione Lolohea on the depth chart, but Jones still figures to play a key role in a fierce rotation at edge rusher this season. — Hale
Replacement: Soane Faasolo
Fautanu played both left guard and left tackle at Washington, but he started 15 games last season at the latter. Spring practices in Seattle have indicated that redshirt freshman Soane Faasolo is in the driver’s seat for that position while true freshman Paki Finau has spent ample time as the first-team left tackle. Both aren’t exactly swimming in experience, and there’s a good chance the Huskies look to the portal for more help on the line as a whole. — Uggetti
Replacement: Dani Dennis-Sutton
Dennis-Sutton was a third-team All-Big Ten selection last year despite starting in only three games. He finished his sophomore season with 3.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles.
Before that, he was an ESPN true freshman All-American. Penn State coach James Franklin predicted this spring that the 6-5, 270-pound Dennis-Sutton is “going to have a really big year for us” as the team’s top returning pass-rusher. “We need him to take a step this year … and from everything we’ve seen so far, I think he will.” — Trotter
Replacement: Avery Smith
Toledo not only loses Mitchell but Chris McDonald, a third-team All-MAC cornerback, and RJ Delancy, who transferred to Wisconsin. Smith has appeared in 25 games during the past two seasons as a reserve corner, recording 27 tackles. Another name to note is incoming transfer Jadarrius Perkins, who appeared in 23 games at Florida and had 40 tackles, an interception and three pass breakups. — Rittenberg
Replacement: Kyren Lacy
He’s LSU’s top returning wide receiver, having played in 27 games (12 starts) in his past two seasons with the Tigers. He started the final nine games of 2023 and finished third on the team in yards (558) and touchdown receptions (seven) and fourth in receptions (30). Following his redshirt freshman season, Lacy transferred from Louisiana-Lafayette, where he caught 50 passes for 668 yards and 10 touchdowns. — Dinich
Replacement: Domani Jackson
After two seasons at USC, Jackson was one of Alabama’s most important transfers this offseason and immediately steps in as a starter at cornerback. Nick Saban recruited the five-star prospect hard out of high school before the San Diego product decided to stay in California and play for the Trojans. Jackson, who suffered a knee injury as a senior in high school, has elite speed and excellent coverage skills. His experience will be especially valuable in an Alabama cornerback room that will be extremely young in 2024. — Low
Replacement: Raymond Pulido
Morgan — a first-round pick by the Packers — leaves behind big shoes to fill at left tackle, and the question of his replacement will be crucial to the Wildcats’ 2024 season. In the Alamo Bowl, 6-6, 335-pound sophomore Raymond Pulido manned the left tackle position. Pulido, a true freshman who started on the line in 2023, is young but has shown great potential, though he didn’t play in Arizona’s spring game due to an injury. There will still likely be more shuffling on the Wildcats’ line all the way up to the fall, and their lack of depth in the unit might even involve a transfer portal addition or two. — Uggetti
Replacement: Justin Pickett or Brian Parker II
Though Barton projects as a center in the NFL, he started at left tackle at Duke the past three seasons and leaves big shoes to fill as a two-time All-ACC first-team selection. Duke was stretched thin this spring on the offensive line and had only five healthy linemen for its spring game. This is an area of need in the portal, but Duke has options to replace Graham currently on the roster. Pickett and Parker both played for the Blue Devils last season. — Adelson
Replacement: Joe Moore
Missouri loses a lot up front beyond Robinson, as there are some interior holes to fill, too. Johnny Walker Jr. returns at one starting spot after recording 5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss and 9 quarterback hurries, and Moore is set to play opposite him in Robinson’s spot. Moore had a sack and 13 tackles in a reserve role last season and saw extensive field time with the starting defense this spring. The Arizona State transfer had two sacks, a forced fumble and 24 tackles for the Sun Devils in 2022. Missouri also added transfers Darris Smith (Georgia) and Zion Young (Michigan State) to fortify the edge. — Rittenberg
Replacement: Isaiah Bond, Ryan Wingo or Matthew Golden
The Longhorns got speedster Isaiah Bond out of the portal from Alabama with an eye on replacing Worthy after Bond caught 48 passes for 668 yards last season. He might claim the job, but he’ll have to fend off 6-2, 208-pound star freshman Ryan Wingo, who put on a show at the spring game with a 58-yard TD catch and another 3-yard red zone grab, and Houston transfer Matthew Golden, who’s recovering from a foot injury last year but is a dynamic playmaker and kick returner. Sophomore Johntay Cook II, who appeared in all 14 games last year and flashed his big-play potential with a 51-yard catch against Baylor, will also be looking to force his way onto the field somewhere. — Wilson
Replacement: Jake Taylor or Spencer Brown
The search for a replacement for Guyton, who played right tackle to protect left-handed QB Dillon Gabriel’s blind side, will likely include a battle between sophomore Jake Taylor, who has made appearances at both right tackle and right guard in two seasons in Norman, and Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown, who made 23 starts, mostly at right tackle, for the Spartans. Taylor got the start for the spring game, with junior Jacob Sexton, who started the past four games of last year at right tackle, playing left guard. — Wilson
Replacement: Avieon Terrell
Clemson hasn’t exactly earned a reputation as DBU (LSU and Ohio State have that title on lockdown), but Wiggins became the sixth Tigers defensive back drafted in the first two rounds in the past decade. Perhaps the best of the bunch thus far is 2020 first-rounder A.J. Terrell, who has blossomed into a Pro Bowl performer with the Falcons, and whose younger brother, Avieon, could be the next star corner for the Tigers.
Avieon Terrell started five games last season as a true freshman, making 19 tackles and picking off a pass in a win over Georgia Tech. His role will be far bigger this year, as he’ll team with former five-star recruit Jeadyn Lukas to anchor Clemson’s secondary. The Tigers are loaded in the front seven, so the development of Terrell and Lukas might be the key to a playoff push for a defense that finished last season leading the nation in success rate. — Hale
Replacement: Chimere Dike
There’s no question the Gators are going to miss Pearsall’s production. He led the team with 65 receptions and 965 receiving yards with 6 total touchdowns in 2023. The former Arizona State transfer was especially reliable on third downs — 41% of his catches were for first downs last season.
Gators coach Billy Napier grabbed Wisconsin receiver Chimere Dike out of the transfer portal to help. Dike should have good chemistry with quarterback Graham Mertz, another former Badgers starter. Dike led Wisconsin with 47 catches for 689 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. Eugene Wilson III (61 catches for 538 with 6 touchdowns) and Kahleil Jackson (22 for 251) are also back. Napier praised young receivers Marcus Burke and Aidan Mizell during the spring. — Schlabach
Replacement: Gage Larvadain
Several players could help fill Legette’s role, including two transfers in Larvadain (Miami of Ohio) and Jared Brown (Coastal Carolina). Larvadain led Miami in 2023 with 42 catches for 679 yards and 6 touchdowns, helping the team to a MAC title. He has 138 receptions for 1,931 yards and 13 touchdowns in three seasons at Miami and FCS Southeastern Louisiana. Brown had 107 receptions for 1,529 yards and 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Coastal Carolina. Young wideouts Tyshawn Russell and Mazeo Bennett also flashed this spring. — Rittenberg
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Why did CFB move its transfer portal? What do coaches think? Is tampering a problem?
Published
56 mins agoon
October 10, 2025By
admin
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Max OlsonOct 10, 2025, 08:00 AM ET
Close- Covers the Big 12
- Joined ESPN in 2012
- Graduate of the University of Nebraska
Transfer portal season in college football is officially moving to January.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet formally approved a significant change to the transfer portal process Tuesday, establishing a single offseason transfer portal window for FBS and FCS players Jan. 2-16, 2026, and eliminating the spring portal window in April.
What will this mean for coaches, players and roster management across the sport this offseason? Here’s a breakdown of what comes next.
What do coaches think of this change?
While head coaches have been wanting to see a single portal window in college football for years, they didn’t all agree that January is the best answer for the sport.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day told reporters it “doesn’t make any sense” that playoff teams will have to make decisions on next year’s roster while they’re still competing for a national championship.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said most Big Ten coaches wanted to move the portal window to April or May, citing the timing of revenue-sharing payments as another factor, because Nebraska pays its players from July 1 to June 30.
“We’re going to have players getting paid by two different teams in the same year,” Rhule said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
SEC coaches came out in support of the January proposal, believing that it would ultimately be more problematic to put off these roster moves until the spring. They need to get their rosters set and their new players enrolled in January for offseason training and spring practice.
Several SEC coaches acknowledged it might not be easy for the last few teams in the College Football Playoff, but it’s the right change for everybody else.
“I’m sorry, there’s no crying on the yacht,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said.
Why is college football moving to one portal window?
The rules around the NCAA transfer portal have changed pretty much every year since it was first established in 2018. In 2024-25, college football players got a 20-day window to enter the portal in December and a 10-day window in April. Coaches have long been vocal about the negatives of the spring portal window outweighing the positives. College basketball has a single offseason portal window. The NFL has one big free agency period. Now college football does, too. We’ve seen contenders go get the final missing pieces for their upcoming season during the April portal window, and sometimes those last few needs don’t become obvious until a team goes through spring practice. Many players were able to earn big paydays in the most recent spring window simply because teams were desperate and eager to spend. Those are a few of the positives.
The negatives? Coaches, general managers and NIL collectives got tired of players signing deals in December and then asking for more money in April. Now that players are permitted unlimited transfers, they have a ton of leverage in the spring. The good ones can always get offered more money by someone else, and it’s not easy to replace starters who leave at the end of April. It’s worth noting, too, that coaches took advantage of the spring window to run off underperforming players and free up more scholarships.
The Nico Iamaleava drama at Tennessee earlier this year shined a brighter spotlight on these issues, and it can happen anywhere. There will inevitably still be plenty more disputes around NIL compensation between players and schools this offseason, but moving to a single portal window ideally means most of them get resolved by the end of January.
Why is the window moving from December to January?
In recent years, the transfer portal window has opened in early December on the Monday after conference championship games and bowl selections. That timing was logical from the standpoint that players are ready to move on to their next school at the end of the regular season. They’d have a few weeks to go through the recruiting process, take official visits and decide where they’d enroll in January.
For coaching staffs, though, the month of December is brutal. They’re juggling roster retention and transfer recruiting with the coaching carousel, high school signing day, and bowl practices and games. Earlier this year, FBS coaches held their annual AFCA meeting in Charlotte and emerged in agreement that it was time for portal season to move to January.
A major talking point at that time was the fact some players were leaving College Football Playoff teams to focus on their transfer process. Texas backup quarterback Maalik Murphy made that choice during the 2023 season, and Penn State’s Beau Pribula did the same in 2024. Some CFP teams did let players in the portal stay with the team to finish out the season, but coaches generally agree it’s unfair for players to be put in that predicament.
Can players enter the portal before Jan. 2?
All FBS and FCS players — including graduate transfers — must wait until Jan. 2 to officially enter the transfer portal and initiate contact with other schools. Grad transfers were previously allowed to enter the portal early but won’t be able to this offseason.
There is still an exception for players at programs that go through early coaching changes. UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State and Arkansas players were given a 30-day window to enter the portal after their head coaches were fired in September. The D-I Cabinet changed that rule earlier this week, too. Now if a school fires its head coach before or after the January portal window, players will get a 15-day window to transfer that opens five days after the school has hired or announced its next head coach.
We’re already seeing players decide to redshirt and leave their teams with the intention of entering the transfer portal after the season. Their agents are already in contact with GMs at other schools, but the players won’t be able to communicate with coaches or visit schools until January.
We’ve seen a few unique cases, though, that prove players can circumvent the portal to transfer to another school. Miami cornerback Xavier Lucas and Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff unenrolled from their former schools and joined new teams this offseason without officially entering their names in the portal. Players technically cannot be recruited unless they enter the portal during the window, but it’ll be interesting to see how many players still transfer after the January portal window closes and how they attempt to do so.
When do players on College Football Playoff teams transfer?
This year’s College Football Playoff semifinals, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, will be played Jan. 8 and 9, respectively. Players on the losing teams will still have time to make moves before the portal window closes Jan. 16. But what about the teams still playing for the national title?
After the CFP National Championship game Jan. 19, players on those final two teams will have an opportunity to enter the transfer portal Jan. 20-24. We did see some activity after last season’s national title game, with six scholarship players from Notre Dame and four from Ohio State hitting the portal after their season was finally over.
The FCS national championship game is scheduled for Jan. 5, so the timing of the January window won’t be an issue for FCS players.
How much tampering will happen before January?
Short answer: an absurd amount.
Coaches might say they want a January portal window, but nobody is actually waiting until Jan. 2 to start pursuing transfers. Now that these players are repped by agents, the reality is these recruiting processes begin with conversations between agents and GMs throughout the season.
Last year, as schools prepared for the first year of revenue sharing in college athletics and general managers began taking the lead on contract negotiations, the agent-GM relationship became critical. Agents were already shopping around their clients in November. GMs were re-signing their returning players over the final weeks of the regular season before the portal opened. In many cases, by the time players were officially in the portal, they already had a good idea where they were going.
Though these programs were already operating with no fear of NCAA enforcement around tampering, they’re now going through the agent to persuade the players they’re hoping to add via the portal. One interesting element of this upcoming portal cycle to keep an eye on: Will we see more players signing with schools they’ve never visited? So many of these recruitments are likely to be wrapped up well before Jan. 2.
Will fewer players transfer this offseason?
The total number of offseason transfers has increased every year, and there was no reversing that trend once the NCAA had to abandon its one-time transfer rule last year. During the 2024-25 school year, more than 4,900 FBS players and more than 3,200 FCS players entered their names in the transfer portal.
The transfer windows were open for a total of 60 days when they debuted in 2022-23 and have been reduced to 45 days in 2023-24, then 30 last year and now 15. If the elimination of the spring transfer window does lead to fewer players transferring this offseason, coaches and administrators will consider that a major win. But it’s important to note the role revenue sharing will play, too.
Power 4 programs investing $10-15 million (or a lot more) on their rosters have the funds to bring back the players they don’t want to lose. Players can now sign multiyear deals with schools, too. These agreements are not exactly binding and won’t block players from transferring, but schools are hoping the commitments they’ve made to these players will help with retention.
Will these changes lead to more lawsuits?
Yes. Attorney Tom Mars predicted that “experienced antitrust lawyers will be at the courthouse before the sun comes up” if the NCAA moved forward with adopting the 15-day January window and eliminating the spring transfer window, arguing that these reforms will have concerning anticompetitive effects that limit player mobility and can’t be justified when less restrictive alternatives exist.
Preliminary injunctions from federal courts brought the end of the one-time transfer rule and forced the NCAA to halt its investigations into collectives and third-party NIL deals, and the NCAA is currently facing several eligibility lawsuits. The NCAA and conference commissioners have been lobbying Congress for years and are hoping the SCORE Act can provide antitrust protections if it can get passed. For now, though, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see legal challenges to the new transfer rules in the months ahead.
Sports
Sources: Big Ten closes in on private equity deal
Published
56 mins agoon
October 10, 2025By
admin
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Dan Wetzel
CloseDan Wetzel
ESPN
Dan Wetzel is a senior writer focused on investigative reporting, news analysis and feature storytelling.
Oct 10, 2025, 02:44 PM ET
The Big Ten is closing in on voting on a private capital agreement that will infuse league schools with more than $2 billion, industry sources told ESPN.
There’s been momentum within recent days for the deal to push forward, and the structure of the complicated agreement is coming together. A vote is expected in the near future, per sources.
The framework calls for the formation of a new entity, Big Ten Enterprises, which would hold all leaguewide media rights and sponsorship contracts.
Shares of ownership in Big Ten Enterprises would fall to the league’s 18 schools, the conference office and the capital group — an investment fund that’s tied to the University of California pension system. Yahoo Sports first reported the involvement of the UC investment fund.
The pension fund is not a private equity firm, and the UC fund valuation proved to be higher than other competing bids. This has been attractive to the Big Ten and its schools, according to sources.
A source familiar with the deal said there’s been momentum in recent days, but the league is still working with leadership to make a final decision.
The exact equity amounts per school in Big Ten Enterprises is still being negotiated. There is expected to be a small gap in equity percentage between the biggest brands and others, however it is likely to be less than a percentage point.
ESPN reported last week that a tiered structure is expected in the initial allocation of the $2 billion-plus in capital, with larger brands receiving more money. Each school, however, would receive a payout in at least the nine-figure range, sources said.
The deal would call for an extension of the league’s Grant of Rights through 2046, providing long-term stability and making further expansion and any chance league schools leave for the formation of a so-called “Super League” unlikely.
Traditional conference functions are expected to remain with the conference. Any decision-making within Big Ten Enterprises would be controlled by the conference. The UC pension fund would receive a 10% stake in Big Ten Enterprises and hold typical minority investor rights but no direct control.
The money infusion is acutely needed at a number of Big Ten schools that are struggling with debt service on new construction, rising operational expenses and providing additional scholarships and direct revenue ($20.5 million this year and expected to rise annually) to athletes.
The Big Ten has argued that the deal would alleviate financial strain and help middle- and lower-tier Big Ten schools compete in football against the SEC.
ESPN first reported last week that the league was in detailed conversations about the deal.
Big Ten Enterprises would be tasked with not just handling the league’s valuable media rights (the current seven-year, $7 billion package runs through 2030) but trying to maximize sponsorship and advertising deals leaguewide such as jersey patches or on-field logos.
“Think of it this way — the conference is not selling a piece of the conference,” a league source told ESPN last week. “Traditional conference functions would remain 100 percent with the conference office — scheduling, officiating and championships. The new entity being created would focus on business development, and it would include an outside investor with a small financial stake.”
The deal has not been without detractors, with both Michigan and Ohio State — the league’s two wealthiest athletic programs — expressing skepticism initially, per sources. Each school has been hit with significant lobbying not just from the league office but also other conference members to come to an agreement.
Politicians in a number of states have also voiced opposition, including United States Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) who stated Thursday, “You’re going to let someone take and monetize what is really a public resource? …That’s a real problem.”
Cantwell followed up Friday by sending a letter to each Big Ten president warning that any deal involving private equity could invite review, including impacting the schools’ tax-exempt status.
Sports
MLB division series: How Mariners and Tigers can each win decisive Game 5, plus lineups and analysis
Published
1 hour agoon
October 10, 2025By
admin
This is October baseball at its finest!
It’s time for a win-or-go-home Game 5 in the American League Division Series between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park.
The Tigers, who entered these playoffs as the No. 6 seed, will look to ride their momentum from a dominant Game 4 win in Detroit on Wednesday to a second consecutive victory. The Mariners, the No. 2 seed with home field advantage, hope to secure their first trip to the American League Championship Series since 2001.
Which team will come out on top to face the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL pennant?
We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups and the keys to Game 5 along with takeaways after the final out.
Series tied 2-2
Game 5 starters: Tarik Skubal vs. George Kirby
Key to winning Game 5 for Seattle: In 1997, Hall of Famer Randy Johnson went 20-4 with a 2.28 ERA for the Mariners. One team, however, had his number: He started five times against the Orioles, including twice in the ALDS, and the Mariners lost all five games.
Skubal is the 2025 version of Johnson — and the 2025 Mariners seem to have his number. In his second start of the season, the Mariners beat him 3-2. In July, they scored four runs off of him in five innings, including a Julio Rodriguez home run, and won 12-3. In Game 2 of this series, Jorge Polanco homered twice as Skubal left trailing 2-0, with the Mariners eventually winning 3-2. Three Skubal starts, three Mariners victories.
Now, Seattle has to do it a fourth time, and the pitching staff will have to shut down the Tigers. It’s hard to string together hits against Skubal, so the Mariners will need to hit a home run or two (when Skubal doesn’t allow a home run this year, he’s 12-1). They won’t necessarily try to run up his pitch count — since they might try to attack early in the count and avoid his wipeout change — but Skubal has thrown more than 100 pitches just four times this season, so trying to do that and get him out after six innings is another potential path to victory. Mostly, the Mariners will need a hero to step up and beat the best pitcher in the AL. — David Schoenfield
Key to winning Game 5 for Detroit: Yes, the most-cited stat related to this series is Seattle’s 3-0 record when facing Skubal this season. That fact can be taken as a source of optimism (We have his number!) or anxiety (No way we beat that guy a fourth time!). But the Mariners have done a solid job of getting into hitter’s counts against Skubal and then doing damage once they do. At the same time, the Tigers haven’t scored in the early innings of any of those games, which has also been a problem during the postseason. Scoring a couple of runs early would be huge for Detroit and for Skubal, as it would allow him to attack the zone and avoid those hitter’s counts. I don’t really think the Mariners have Skubal’s number, but he’s not infallible. He does need his offense, however, to give him at least a sliver of a margin for error. — Bradford Doolittle
Lineups
Tigers
1. Kerry Carpenter (L) RF
2. Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
3. Riley Greene (L) LF
4. Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
5. Colt Keith (L) DH
6. Zach McKinstry (L) 3B
7. Dillon Dingler (R) C
8. Parker Meadows (L) CF
9. Javier Baez (R) SS
Mariners
1. Randy Arozarena (R) LF
2. Cal Raleigh (S) C
3. Julio Rodriguez (R) CF
4. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
5. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
6. Josh Naylor (L) 1B
7. Mitch Garver (R) DH
8. Victor Robles (R) RF
9. J.P. Crawford (L) SS
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