Two months removed from the end of the spring transfer portal window, there will now be one final run of players popping up in the portal ahead of the 2025 college football season.
It’s the result of the NCAA Committee on Legislative Relief’s decision to issue a waiver that allows certain players to enter the transfer portal between July 7 and Aug. 5.
However, as one Power Four general manager told CBS Sports, this one-time portal window is expected to essentially be a “big nothing-burger.” Several other high-ranking Power Four front office staffers shared similar sentiments with CBS Sports.
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In order for a player to enter the portal during this new window, a team has to name that person “designated student-athlete,” which is limited to players that teams don’t want to count against the 105-player roster limit.
That’s why the consistent expectation among CBS Sports’ front office sources is that the players that enter during this window will be walk-ons or, at best, back-end of the roster scholarship players.
“No one of note will be entering during this window,” a high-ranking Power Four team official said. “These are kids that we essentially don’t find good enough.”
Teams have until July 6 to designate said student-athletes. Additionally, there are not expected to be any noteworthy players in position to force a team to designate them eligible to enter the portal. As a Power Four general manager noted, “it sounds like it is at the school’s discretion.”
“(Players) don’t have any leverage,” another Power Four general manager said. “During this time period, the schools have all the leverage.”
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