The NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model will end the days of 25 and 26-year-olds playing college athletics. The system does, however, still grant up to five seasons of eligibility. An athlete will have five years to play five seasons with that window opening either when the athlete first enrolls in college or turns 19, whichever comes first. Lincoln Parish Journal Publisher Malcolm Butler said it could have a similar effect to COVID eligibility, oversaturating college sports with older athletes.
“That kind of backlogged high school kids, and there were some high school kids that probably would have signed with D-I schools that the opportunities just weren’t there,” said Butler.
While it likely won’t affect the nation’s top recruits, low-star and zero-star prospects may lose their spots on top programs to older athletes. Butler said modern coaches value collegiate experience and immediate impact over player development.
“Whether that’s junior college, whether that’s the D-II level, whether that’s a Division I school, if they’ve got an opportunity to recruit them out of the portal over maybe a high school kid, that’s usually the way they’re going to lean,” said Butler.
Recent cuts to NCAA roster limits won’t help high school athletes either. Butler spoke with LA Tech football coach Sonny Cumbie and Ruston High School coach Jerrod Baugh, who both agreed the new rules will put a strain on the next few years of recruiting. Butler said impacts are already being felt.
“Some of these high school kids who had committed have now been contacted by those schools,” said Butler. “Basically, the school’s telling them hey, we don’t have a scholarship for you anymore.”