- Why Redshirting & Transferring is a Strategy
- More Experience, More Value: A redshirt freshman often has played in a few games but kept their core eligibility, making them seem like a more experienced, higher-upside player with three or four years left, notes 2aDays.
- Increased NIL Leverage: With proven potential and remaining years, they become more valuable to NIL collectives and schools looking for talent, potentially leading to larger deals than their first school offered, say 2aDays.
- "Silent Season" for Branding: The redshirt year allows them to focus on building their personal brand and exploring micro-deals, enhancing their marketability when they do transfer, notes 2aDays.
- The Money$$: The Average NIL for a P4 College Football Player is around $21,000 That means the low end is lower and the high end is a lot higher. Let's say a P4 Freshman 4 star athlete gets $15,000.00 as a redshirt in NIL and decides to gamble that another P4 school will pick him up and at a higher price, but if he has to transfer to a MAC school chances the NIL is not going to be as good. Wouldn't he be better off staying at the P4 school and developing with better facilities and coaches as well as making more money.
- Are Agents and Family Gambling With These Kids Futures: The saddest part of this is that most agents are willing to gamble with these kids futures and pocketbook to make themselves more of a share. Along with Dad, Big Brother, Uncle George and Aunt Martha all thinking you are going to make it big and they will all get a cut, while it never happens.
- The Risks Involved
- "Playing Russian Roulette": There's no guarantee they'll find a better situation; they might land in a less ideal spot or not find a great landing spot at all, Warns "Scholar Champion Athlete Recruiting."
- NIL Isn't Guaranteed: NIL deals are often tied to playing time and performance, so transferring to a place with less opportunity could backfire, explains YouTube.
- Coaching Changes & Program Fit: New coaches have different needs, and a player might not fit the new system, even with better NIL, says Scholar Champion Athlete Recruiting.
- In essence, it's a calculated risk where a player bets their development and marketability will command a bigger payday and better career opportunity elsewhere, leveraging their redshirt status and the transfer portal.
- Issues We have seen with Freshmen Transfers.
- Roster Instability and Lack of Loyalty: The current system has been criticized for eroding team and school loyalty, making it difficult to build long-term relationships with coaches and teammates.
- Increased Pressure and Distractions: Managing NIL deals involves additional time and pressure related to branding, legal agreements, and social media presence, which can distract from academics and athletic development.
- Potential for Tampering and Legal Issues: The NIL landscape and transfer portal have concerns regarding improper recruiting inducements and tampering, which could potentially lead to legal battles or eligibility issues if rules are violated.
- Academic and Eligibility Hurdles: While immediate eligibility is now common, players must still meet specific academic progress-toward-degree requirements. A failure to do so could result in delays or a loss of eligibility.
Ohio State Football Forum
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With So Many Young Buckeyes Hitting the Transfer Portal Are They Gambling on Their Future?
1/7/26 at 7:00p in the OSU Football Forum
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