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Report: NCAA Planning Immediate Expansion Of Football Signing Class Limit

The proposal would allow programs to replace any player who transfers out with an additional signee.

According to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger, the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee is planning to expand the current 25-man limit on recruiting classes in an effort to offset roster management issues caused by the transfer portal.

One of several proposals under consideration, the one-year temporary waiver would allow schools to replace any player who transfers out of the program with one new signee. There would be a cap, but the committee has not settled on a final number.

“A compromise is finally emerging among a group of proposals,” Dellenger wrote. “Under the plan, schools can sign 25 new players while gaining additional signee spots for every player who transfers out of their program – up to a certain limit. The extra spots would be based on the number of players who enter the transfer portal under their own volition and would be capped at a figure, such as seven.”

Ohio State, for example, has lost five scholarship players to the transfer portal this offseason in wide receivers Jameson Williams (Alabama) and Mookie Cooper (Missouri), offensive linemen Max Wray (Colorado) and Ryan Jacoby (Pittsburgh) and cornerback Tyreke Johnson (Nebraska). The Buckeyes would now be able to sign 30 players in their 2022 recruiting class if the waiver is approved.

Other proposals include one that would simply increase the allowable signees to 30, 32 or 35, as well as one that would require schools to use 25 spots on high school players and allow five to seven additional spots for transfers.

“The impetus for immediate action on the topic is a result of policy changes that are leaving - and will leave – many schools well short of the overall 85 scholarship limit,” Dellenger said. “While schools are limited to having 85 scholarship players a year, they are restricted to signing 25 players in a single class. The 100 signees over four years leaves a 15-player wiggle room for natural attrition.

“However, there is more movement in the sport than ever before because of a rule change that grants athletes the right to transfer once without penalty. The transfer surge combined with name, image and likeness is resulting in another disturbing trend: coaches steering their recruiting away from the high school level and toward the portal.”

The proposals were brought before the committee last week and shared among the conferences this week. The committee meets again next Thursday to further discuss and potentially approve the one-year waiver.

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