Welcome to today's episode of Sports Insights. With the 2025 NFL Draft on the horizon, there's a seismic shift happening in college football, driven by the new era of name, image, and likeness, or NIL, and the transfer portal.

Take a look at Cam Ward, the University of Miami quarterback who’s a front-runner for the No. 1 pick. His journey through three schools in five years highlights a major change—today’s players can strategically transfer, build their brand, and earn significant NIL income while still in college.

Since NIL legislation took effect in 2021, players have been able to monetize their popularity, earning anywhere from $75,000 to $800,000 annually. Shedeur Sanders, for instance, famously turned down the NFL draft in 2023 to cash in on a staggering $6.2 million in NIL deals and play another season at Colorado.

The transfer portal has become a game changer as well. In just one year, scholarship transfers surged from around 2,300 to over 2,700. In total, more than 11,000 NCAA football players explored their options through the portal this year.

Clearly, the college football landscape is evolving. As players take control of their careers, the traditional pathway to the NFL is being rewritten before our eyes. Stay tuned as we continue to dive into these transformative changes in sports!
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