The Harsh Reality of the Transfer Portal Era — And Why Athletes Need a Real Plan Before It’s Too Late

When Northern Illinois University’s coach spoke out recently about the dangers of the transfer portal, his words spread across college football with the force of a truth long ignored:

• “We’re going to see soon that thousands of players made mistakes.
• Stop worrying about a check. Start enjoying life.
• Most of those in the portal just made their college experience more expensive — and many just ended theirs.”
• In an age defined by NIL deals, overnight transfers, and the illusion of endless opportunities, his message cuts through the noise with brutal clarity. And the numbers prove him right.

A Numbers Game Athletes Think They Understand… But Don’t

In the most recent cycle, more than 3,700 Division I football players entered the transfer portal, a staggering total that continues to climb with every window. But the reality behind that number is far less promising than it appears. Only about 59% of scholarship players who enter the portal actually secure another scholarship home. The rest lose their roster spot, lose their aid, or lose their football future entirely. Making matters worse, coaches at every level are now prioritizing proven portal athletes over high school players before even considering them. The portal is no longer a marketplace filled with guaranteed opportunities; it has become a gridlock of athletes hoping to be noticed. Simply put, the portal is overflowing, but the opportunities aren’t.

College football has never seen movement like this. Not everyone who enters the portal receives a scholarship. Data shows that only about 59% of scholarship football transfers successfully secure another scholarship at the FBS level. Thousands more end up as walk-ons, pay more out of pocket, or lose their athletic careers entirely. This is what the NIU coach was talking about: the belief that the portal equals automatic opportunity. In reality, for many athletes, it’s a fast track to losing the scholarship they already had.

For High School Athletes? Their Window Is Shrinking.

This is the part parents and high school recruits are not being told clearly enough:

College coaches now recruit the portal BEFORE they recruit high school players.

A portal athlete is:

• Bigger
• Faster
• Stronger
• More mature
• Already developed in a college strength program
• Already has college game film

For coaches fighting to keep their jobs, the choice is simple: take the proven 20-year-old… not the 17-year-old they have to develop.This is why the number of high school scholarship offers continues to drop, even though more athletes are playing than ever before. This is also why many high-level high school players — players who would have earned scholarship offers five years ago — are now receiving preferred walk-on spots instead. Even worse, athletes who do sign out of high school often find older, more experienced transfer players coming in behind them and jumping ahead of them on the depth chart. The ecosystem has changed. The recruiting game is faster, tougher, and more competitive than ever.

Why NIL Has Made the Situation Even More Complicated

NIL was supposed to empower players. And in many ways, it has. But the side effect has been a surge of athletes transferring not for playing time, but for paychecks.

The NIU coach warned of this, too:

“Stop worrying about a check… start enjoying life.”

The pursuit of quick NIL money has created a culture of instability, where athletes make decisions based on short-term rewards rather than long-term opportunities. Many end up in the portal chasing a bag, only to find:

• Their scholarship gone
• Their role diminished
• Their education is more expensive
• Their football future is uncertain

Meanwhile, the athletes who stay focused, develop, and market themselves properly are the ones positioned to win. 

Scholarships Still Exist — But You Must Stand Out Digitally

Even with increased roster flexibility (some programs moving toward 105 scholarships), competition remains fierce. Across NCAA Division I, there are roughly 138,500 athletic scholarships available across all sports, but tens of thousands more athletes are competing for them every year. Coaches don’t have time to sift through thousands of emails, random DMs, dozens of highlight clips, and pages of incomplete information. They want everything in one place, straightforward, professional, and easy to evaluate.

• They want a digital résumé.
• They want something they can open, scan, and decide on within seconds.
• This is where athletes separate themselves.
• This is where a URA Brand Profile becomes essential.

Why URA Brand Profiles Are Becoming a Necessity — Not a Luxury

The recruiting landscape has changed. Exposure is now currency. And your digital presence matters as much as your physical presence.

A URA Brand Profile gives athletes:

• A professional recruiting page
• A central hub for all film, stats, transcripts, media, and NIL potential
• A platform that coaches can view in one click
• A way to stand out in an oversaturated portal and high school market
• A recruiting story that doesn’t get lost in inboxes

Coaches decide fast. Opportunities move fast. Athletes need a digital identity that moves just as fast.

In today’s landscape, thousands of players enter the transfer portal convinced that the grass is greener, while thousands of high school athletes lose opportunities because coaches are focused elsewhere. A URA Brand Profile gives athletes a real chance to regain the attention, visibility, and leverage that traditional emailing and outdated recruiting methods no longer provide. It puts control back in the athlete’s hands—regardless of a high school coach’s involvement, school exposure, or geographic limitations —in a recruiting world where promotion and presentation matter as much as performance. Every athlete needs someone who consistently elevates their accomplishments. That’s precisely what URA delivers.